Report: Woman, 86, Tried To Burn Down Home

An elderly Bartow County woman was arrested over the weekend for allegedly trying to burn down her own home. 

Ora Edith West, 86, was booked into the Bartow County Jail around 9:15 p.m. Saturday, June 28 on arson in the first degree and terroristic threats and acts charges. 

According to an incident report from the Bartow County Sheriff's Office, a deputy responded to a home on 5190 Joe Frank Harris Parkway in unincorporated Adairsville.

Once the deputy arrived onto the scene, he made contact with West's niece, who said she brought her aunt home "from a lengthy stay in a rehabilitation facility for medical issues she had been facing," the report states. 

The woman said once they arrived home, West began to argue with her and two individuals over "wanting them out of her residence." 

The relative told the deputy that in March, her aunt was given doctor's orders to remain under 24-hour supervision, so the other two people moved into her home to help care for her. 

One week later, West was "hospitalized from a fall and during the injury and many other medical issues arose causing an extended stay," the report reads.

The relative said she stopped by the home to check on her aunt and when she entered the back door that leads to the kitchen, she saw a large amount of smoke inside the house. She also saw a piece of cardboard, wash cloth and hand towel lying on top of the stove, which was turned on. 

West's niece said that when she and the two caretakers asked West about the stove, she said "I'm going to burn this house down before I let anyone have it."

West allegedly told the deputy that she was only trying to see if the items would burn and later stated "I would burn it down after they left." 

She also told the deputy that the two caretakers were inside the home when the incident occurred.