Coldwater woman enters insanity plea in home arson
BRANCH COUNTY — A Coldwater woman has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to second-degree arson in a fire that essentially destroyed her home in March 2021.
Branch County Circuit Judge Bill O’Grady accepted the plea from 59-year-old Catherine Allen on Thursday, March 23.
Under Michigan law, Allen will be sent to the state psychiatric hospital in Ypsilanti for a 60-day evaluation.
After her arrest the day of the fire on March 18, Allen was sent for evaluation and treatment.
“This was one of the most clear-cut cases that I have seen” of insanity at the time of the crime, Prosecutor Zack Stempien said.
That morning, Allen started the fire in a backroom closet of the home on South Jefferson Street, according to police reports. She admitted she used a lighter to ignite a one-foot stack of papers in the closet. She told police that "gods" told her to “burn it down." In a written statement, Allen said she was burning demons.
Allen is a military veteran who has received successful treatment for her mental illness through the Department of Veterans Affairs with the support of her husband and family.
The prosecutor did not file charges until July 2022, when Allen was ruled competent. She has been free on a $25,000 bond.
Stempien said a "guilty but mentality ill" plea would have led to Allen losing her military benefits.
More: Woman charged with arson for house fire
Allen is now considered competent and able to live without being a threat to herself or others.
If mental health professionals feel it is necessary after her 60-day evacuation, Allen could be placed under the supervision of probate court.
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According to the official investigation, even with a prompt response by Coldwater Fire Department and mutual aid from Quincy Fire Department, the two-story wood-framed home was a complete loss.
— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Coldwater woman enters insanity plea in home arson
