GREEN BAY (NBC 26) -- A Green Bay teen has been charged with starting a fire that killed her 11-month-old nephew and sent several adults to the hospital.
Marcelia Dolores Flora Fonseca, 15, was charged Wednesday for arson of a building and first degree intentional homicide.
The fire happened on the 2500 block of Wisconsin Ave. the morning of June 7, 2019.
According to the Green Bay Metro Fire Department, several occupants were found outside the house covered in soot. Firefighters were told an infant was still in the burning house on the second floor.
The baby was located and lifesaving measures were performed. The infant and several adult family members were taken to the hospital to be treated for burns and smoke inhalation. The baby later died from injuries caused by the fire.
According to a medical examination, the infant had sustained total body surface burns across 100% of his body, ranging from first degree through third degree. There was also soot found in the baby's nostrils, mouth, larynx, trachea and bronchi.
Family members said Marcelia was the first to report the fire to them. Three of the family members tried to enter the bedroom of the fire to rescue the infant and got injured in the process before heading outside to wait for help.
Investigators interviewed the family, who thought the fire might have been caused by faulty electrical wiring in the house. Upon further investigation, investigators concluded Marcelia was responsible for the fire.
Marcelia says she went upstairs, smelled smoke, left the door and window open, but did not remove the baby from the smoky room because she "didn't think it was a big issue." She was the last known person in the bedroom with the baby.
While interviewing Marcelia, she admitted to setting two other houses on fire in the past. One of the houses was a previous place in Milwaukee where she lived.
"She said that she thought fire was cool and they lit a fire in her house," the complaint states. "She said now she just burns wood at camp fires and she is the 'fire keeper' when they camp."
Marcelia also told investigators when she was 6-years-old she tried to kill her younger sister.
Investigators obtained a 2018 report from Child Protective Services that details Marcelia harming her siblings multiple times, including choking.
Charges were filed in Brown County Court with Marcelia having her initial court appearance March 4. Her bond is set at $250,000.
