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Police Heard Woman Screaming As She Burned Inside Mobile Home Father Allegedly Set Ablaze
Just an hour after Jamey Newport posted kitten photos on Facebook, she was screaming for help as black smoke billowed out her mobile home.
A Minnesota father is accused of purposely pouring gasoline all over his mobile home, then setting it ablaze with his daughter in it, trapping and killing the young woman who was heard screaming for help.
Jamey Newport, 22, was pronounced dead on July 23 shortly after first responders were able to put out the fire that engulfed the home she shared with her father in Paynesville, the West Central Tribune reports.
Her 46-year-old father, John Newport, was charged with both arson and the second-degree murder of Jamey on Thursday, KTSP in Minneapolis reports.
Jamey called police during the early evening hours of that tragic night to report that her dad was pouring gasoline all over the home and that he was threatening to set it ablaze, states a criminal complaint obtained by KTSP.
A dispatcher said the young woman then began screaming for help, exclaiming that she was trapped. Soon, she was disconnected from the 911 operator.
The first officer on the scene tried to get into the home, which had black smoke billowing out of it. He couldn’t access it, but said he could hear screaming from inside, according to the West Central Tribune. He deployed a fire extinguisher, hoping to reduce the flames, but the mobile home kept on burning.
During that time, John allegedly broke a window and began yelling at his daughter through the window and tried to get into the home. The father, who was covered in blood and soot, was restrained by the police officer, according to documents.
It was all too late.
After the fire department arrived, they were able to put out the fire enough to removed Jamey from the home. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead. Her official cause of death was inhalation of products of combustion. Her death was listed as a homicide.
The father’s alleged actions reportedly came after an argument with his daughter. Just one hour before the fatal fire, she had posted photos of her playing with kittens on her Facebook page, according to the West Central Tribune.
John Newport’s bail has been set at $2 million or $1 million with conditions. It’s not clear if he has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf at this time. His next court hearing is set for August 5.
