Mom Accused Of Torching Daughter's Abingdon Townhouse

ABINGDON, MD — A woman was charged in connection with a house fire that broke out at her daughter's house in September. The townhouse blaze in Abingdon caused $20,000 in damage, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Anne M. Stewart, 50, of the 2900 block of Edgewood Avenue, faces charges of first and second-degree arson, first and second-degree malicious burning and malicious destruction of property over $1,000.

The charges stem from a townhouse fire reported at 4:07 p.m. on Sept. 15 on the second floor of a home in the 200 block of Ferring Court in Abingdon, the fire marshal said.

• 5 Displaced In Abingdon Townhouse Blaze, Officials Say

Firefighters found a blaze inside a bedroom closet that was nearly extinguished because of the sprinkler system in the middle-of-the-group townhouse, according to officials. Investigators determined the fire had been set on purpose.

During the investigation, officials said they found a second fire inside another closet that had gone out on its own.

The fire marshal consulted with the Harford County state's attorney and obtained an arrest warrant for Stewart, who turned herself in Monday to the Maryland State Police Bel Air barrack.

Stewart was being held on $50,000 bond at the Harford County Detention Center. Court records show she was released Tuesday on her own recognizance.

Photo courtesy of Office of the State Fire Marshal.