An Illinois woman is facing serious charges after authorities say she poured camping fuel on multiple baby cribs inside a Walmart and set them on fire — all while the store was full of shoppers.
Adilyn Monette, 21, has been charged with aggravated arson, the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office announced. A judge denied her pretrial release following a court appearance Friday.
According to authorities, the incident happened around 7:20 p.m. on New Year’s Eve at a Walmart located at 1275 Lake Ave. in Woodstock.
Investigators say Monette entered the store and went to the camping aisle, where she allegedly removed a can of camping fuel and placed it in a shopping cart. She then moved to the baby section before returning to the camping aisle to grab a second can of fuel. Surveillance footage reportedly captured her returning to the infant area, where she poured the fuel onto several display cribs.
Authorities allege Monette then used matches to ignite the cribs before leaving the store.
The Woodstock Police Department said officers were dispatched to the scene as the store was being evacuated. Firefighters arrived to find sprinklers already activated, which officials say helped contain the blaze in the rear of the store.
Despite the automatic sprinkler system extinguishing the flames, store managers reportedly estimated damages at more than $5 million due to destroyed merchandise and damage to the building. The Walmart remains temporarily closed.
Police were able to identify Monette through her vehicle registration, according to investigators.
“Despite there being a full store of customers when this arson was committed, we are grateful for the swift actions of Walmart staff, the Woodstock Fire Department, and Woodstock Police that ensured no customers or employees were injured,” McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said.
During Friday’s hearing, prosecutors revealed Monette also has a pending arson case in Colorado, where she had been placed on supervised release while awaiting trial.
Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive for the Illinois fire. Monette is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 7 as the investigation continues.
Oh oh, another young Amerikan lunatic!!
Their numbers are growing.
Hopefully she be sentenced to AT LEAST 2 hours of time out and writing a letter of “I won’t set fires inside crowded stores anymore” one hundred times!!
** But only if she gets a really “strict hard-nosed” judge!!!!