After Back-to-Back Apartment Fires, Newport Woman Arrested on Warrant

NEWPORT, RI— A 25-year-old Newport woman was arrested on a warrant early Monday after police and firefighters responded to her Third Street apartment for a fire on a stove top.

Police said Keanna Lee Fenwick, of 143 Third St., Newport, was wanted for failing to appear in court for an unrelated incident and arrested at around 3:30 a.m. by police who responded to the fire—the second fire in as many days in the apartment.

According to a police report, firefighters were dispatched at around 2:30 a.m. for a report of a fire on a stove top.

Police said the fire was apparently started by a burner that was left on.

The apartment was in disarray, police said, and it was difficult to walk around due to piles of clothes and other objects in every room.

Police said several children were living in the apartment. A man, identified as Fenwick’s husband, was also there.

The man, a registered sex offender, told police he was just there to do laundry.

According to the report, the man told police that he has been signing into the shelter at Meeting Street “then leaving shortly after” to visit his wife.

Police transported the man to the shelter and the children were released to the custaody of a relative.

DCYF was notified.

Fenwick was wanted for failing to appear for an ability to pay costs hearing on Dec. 8 stemming from an Oct., 2015 arrest by Newport police for vandalism and disorderly conduct. She pleaded no contest to the disorderly charge and the vandalism charge was dismissed. The case was filed.

After appearing in court on Tuesday, Fenwick was released on personal recognizance and is due to appear in court on Jan. 22 for another ability to pay costs hearing.