Woman pleads guilty to arson

A Chicago woman is going to prison for throwing burning clothing into a Waukegan home.

Arlicia Austin, 37, pleaded guilty to arson charges and is expected to serve three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after agreeing to a plea deal in Lake County court.

Police had arrested and charged her with aggravated arson, residential arson, possession of explosives and arson.

On Sept. 4, a resident in the 100 block of Liberty Street called authorities after seeing Austin throw a flaming ball of clothing through an open bathroom window.

The teenager who witnessed the act ran to another teenager in the house, and they extinguished the small fire. No one in the house was injured.

The teens then called police and said they recognized Austin as a former neighbor who was recently evicted from her home. Police arrived on the scene and confronted Austin.

Officers recovered lighter fluid and a lighter from her vehicle.

Austin told police she was in the area to retrieve the last of her belongings from her old home, prosecutors said.

Authorities said Austin threw the burning clothing into the house in retaliation for a burglary at her old home. Mathews said Austin suspected one of the teenagers was responsible.