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Parents may have to pay cost of fighting 1,500-acre Lee County fire

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published May 2, 2006

LEHIGH ACRES - A 14-year-old girl was accused Monday of joining two boys in setting a brush fire that damaged dozens of homes, authorities said.

Officials suggested the children's parents could be charged for the costs of fighting the 1,500-acre weekend blaze, which was largely contained by Monday afternoon.

"Many people have lost their property and homes, and someone has to pay for that. Under the law, someone is liable for it," said Terence McElroy, spokesman for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which includes the Division of Forestry.

The boys, ages 12 and 10, were charged on Sunday with reckless burning of land. The 10-year-old had a court appearance Monday morning and was ordered held on a 21-day home detention pending a May 23 arraignment on arson charges, said Angelo Vaughn, a spokesman for the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

The 12-year-old skipped his court appearance and was taken into custody later Monday. He and the 14-year-old will appear in court today, Vaughn said.

Red Cross officials have called the blaze the worst in Lee County's history.

"We are looking at 25 families with major damage to their homes or destroyed homes. We're probably talking about 400 homes in the area affected," said Chris Beddoes, emergency services director for Lee County's Red Cross.

[Last modified May 2, 2006, 01:56:04]