75-Year-Old Woman Set Fire Over Eviction: Cops

The Naugautuck grandma could not pay the rent because she gambled, according to reports.

Naugatuck police have charged a 75-year-old grandmother with arson after a fire at her home in February.

Police said Raeann Goss started a fire in her bedroom because she was angry about being evicted from her Prospect Street home.

As she was being taken from the burning house she shared with her landlord and his wife, she told the couple, “This is what you deserve,” according to police.

Then, she told the acting fire marshal that her lighter might have started the fire, according to the affidavit.

Fire officials suspect that an accelerate was used and detected a petroleum-based product, according to court documents.

Goss had lived in the house for about two years and stopped paying the rent in October, her landlord said.

Goss' son told police that his mother had a gambling problem, was not able to pay her $600-per month rent and would go to the casinos rather than pay her bills, according to court documents. He and some friends from church were there to help her move out, he told police.

In addition to nonpayment of rent, there were several other issues, according to the landlord.

Goss had turned the boiler off, broken a window and would turn the heat all the way up in the winter until it got hot and then would turn on the air conditioner, the landlord said.    

He wanted to allow Ross to stay through the holidays, and then began the eviction process earlier this year, he said.

Goss has been charged with first-degree arson, first-degree reckless endangerment and first-degree criminal mischief.

She was held on $500 bond and was arraigned on Wednesday.

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