Teen sets parents' apartment on fire after they refused to buy her a new phone

• A South Korean court declined to issue an arrest warrant for a 14-year-old girl accused of burning her family’s apartment
• The judge cited her status as “a juvenile under 19” as the key reason for dismissing the request
• The blaze, allegedly set with a lighter, damaged the entire unit and sent 17 residents to hospitals due to smoke inhalation
• The teen reportedly admitted she started the fire in retaliation after her parents refused to upgrade her cellphone

A 14-year-old girl from Gwangju, South Korea, will not be taken into custody after a district court denied an arrest warrant sought by authorities who accuse her of deliberately setting fire to her family’s apartment.

According to local media, the Gwangju District Court dismissed the request following a pre-arrest hearing, underscoring that the girl qualifies as “a juvenile under 19” under the country’s Juvenile Act—an important factor that weighs heavily in decisions involving minors, Inquirer reported.

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Police said the incident unfolded late in the evening of November 20, around 10:52 p.m., inside the teen’s third-floor bedroom in an apartment complex in northern Gwangju.

Investigators believe she ignited the blaze using a lighter, causing flames that quickly spread throughout the home.

Firefighters managed to put out the fire in roughly 20 minutes, but the speed of the response was not enough to save the family’s belongings.

The blaze reportedly destroyed all household goods inside the unit.

The fire’s impact extended beyond the unit itself.

Seventeen residents in the building required hospitalization after inhaling smoke, prompting concerns about safety and the severity of the incident.

Authorities confirmed that while none of the injuries were life-threatening, the scale of damage raised questions about the motivations behind the act.

During police questioning, the girl allegedly admitted to starting the fire as an act of retaliation after her parents refused to upgrade her cellphone to a model that would let her use social media.

The case has drawn public attention not only because of the circumstances but also due to the court’s handling of juvenile responsibility. Investigators are continuing to review the situation while coordinating with child protection services to determine the appropriate next steps.

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News, photos, or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, this could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable.

In a previous report by KAMI, a family of three was mercilessly shot and killed inside their store in Barangay Mallorca, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija. Caught by CCTV, three men entered their store, closed the roll-up door, and shot the entire family to death. Before fleeing, one of the suspects even grabbed a bag and a mobile phone from the victim. In a report by Gary De Leon of TV 5's 'Frontline Pilipinas,' the family started getting threats after lending P1-M to one of the residents of their barangay; allegedly using the money for business.

In another viral local report, a 51-year-old public school teacher in Las Piñas City was stabbed multiple times by her own husband. According to the report of EJ Gomez in 'Unang Balita,' the 38-year-old suspect committed the crime inside the school's faculty room. Police authorities said the school has a security guard, but, being a familiar face in the school, the suspect managed to easily get in and out of the school. The suspect said he was there to talk to his wife and settle their misunderstanding, but unfortunately, it led to a big arguement.

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Source: KAMI.com.gh