CLEARWATER – Two juveniles were arrested Dec. 29 for allegedly trying to kill a Clearwater woman by setting her bed on fire.
Clearwater Police detectives said Samantha Broadhead, 11, plotted with her 15-year-old boyfriend, Jack Ault, to kill her mother, Nancy Broadhead, 47. The two juveniles allegedly poured gasoline on the victim’s bedroom floor and bed as she slept in it and then ignited the fluid, the police report said. The juveniles then allegedly stole the mother’s vehicle, a 2007 Ford Focus, and fled, the report said. The fire happened at about 1:15 a.m. at 1580 Huntington Lane.
The mother woke up when she heard the smoke alarm and was able to escape. She sustained serious burns and smoke inhalation and was taken first to Morton Plant Hospital and later transferred to Tampa General Hospital where she was admitted to the burn unit, the report said. While her injuries are serious, they are not believed to be life threatening, the report said.
It took firefighters about 10 minutes to control the fire. There was extensive damage to the home, which was deemed uninhabitable, the report said.
Samantha Broadhead returned to the scene and agreed to go to police headquarters for questioning. Ault was found at a friend’s house and taken into custody. According to the police report, both Samantha and Ault were charged with attempted murder and arson resulting in serious injury. Ault also is charged with a grand theft auto charge.
Ault was taken to the Pinellas County Juvenile Assessment Center and Samantha was placed under the Baker Act for psychiatric assessment.
Nancy’s car was found in a church parking lot at 1910 Douglas Avenue in Clearwater.
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