Webster Mom Accused Of Burning House, Kids Wants To See Daughter

CONCORD, NH — Almost a year after being accused of setting her house on fire and entrapping her children inside the burning home, a Webster woman is seeking to have her bail updated to allow for supervised visitation with one of her children.

Mary Elizabeth “Liz” Corliss, 38, of Deer Meadow Road in Webster faces felony arson, child endangerment, second-degree assault, and reckless conduct-deadly weapon-domestic violence charges connected to the incident in February 2021. Investigators accused her of setting her house on fire and barricading her kids inside rooms while impeding firefighters attempting to rescue her and her children. During the incident, Corliss appeared to be having a mental episode — and was accused of assaulting a police lieutenant, spouting conspiracy theories including QAnon comments, sex trafficking fears about her children, and suggestions that she was poisoned and expressed fears of being eaten by others.

She was released on bail in May 2021 and ordered to have no direct or indirect contact with her children. Last year, tens of thousands of dollars were raised via GoFundMe efforts and other fundraisers to assist the children in healing from the burns they received during the incident. Corliss was indicted on most of the charges in July 2021.

In late November 2021, her attorney, Mark Sisti of Sisti Law Offices in Chichester, petitioned the court to allow Corliss to see her daughter.

“The defendant has not seen or spoken to her daughter or son since the fire occurred on Feb. 24, 2021,” Sisti said in the petition.

The attorney suggested any visits could be supervised at the Merrimack County Visitation Center or any location deemed appropriate by the court. Sisti noted the Merrimack County Attorney’s Office was objecting to the motion.

A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday to review the matter. A dispositional conference will be held on the same day.

Sisti said on Friday Corliss had every right to “engage with her own flesh and blood” and she had a “presumption of innocence,” too, when it came to the accusations. That presumption was “a very basic tenet and principle” of a person’s civil rights, he said. The case against Corliss, as well, was “no slam dunk for the prosecution” — although he would not get into specifics.

“We’ll get into the nuts and bolts, at that time, and you will be able to see what was going on,” Sisti said.

Corliss should be allowed visitation with her daughter whether it was in person, via Zoom, or any of the “many other ways of having contact with your child … there are all kinds of things … to just cut it off is a very dangerous situation,” Sisti added. He was not surprised by the county attorney’s opposition to the request.

“Nothing surprises me after 43 years (of being an attorney),” he said. “Whatever they do, they do.”

When asked why Corliss was not seeking her bail to be amended to have visitation with her son, Sisti said, “I’m not going to get into that.”

The county attorney’s office chose not to comment on this story.

A member of the daughter's family did not return an email seeking comment.

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