11 Year-Old Girl Sets Mom on Fire in Florida

Nancy Broadhead was asleep in her bed when her 11-year-old daughter and her 15-year-old boyfriend allegedly entered her bedroom, poured gasoline on the floor, and bed then set the room ablaze. The two plotted to set the woman afire and burn her alive. Ironically, an 11-year-old girl sets mom on fire in Florida a couple of months after teens doused 15-year-old Michael Brewer and set him ablaze.

Similarities in Both Cases
In both incidences the victims were doused with a flammable liquid, set on fire, and escaped alive. The attackers were all teens 15-years old and younger. Some of the teens have a history of being in trouble with the law, and some of the parents have priors. The Florida Department of Children and Families has previously interacted with some of the families. What is the common denominator? Seems to be bad parenting, and out of control teens.

How the victims survived
Michael Brewer was lucky enough to be close to a swimming pool, although he was engulfed in flames and probably slipping into shock, Michael jumped in the water which saved his life.

Nancy Broadhead escaped being burned alive while she slept because a smoke detector/fire alarm woke her. She ran out of the house, and reports say she stood in her yard covered in soot screaming, "My baby, Where's my baby?" because she thought she had left her daughter, Samantha Broadhead, inside the burning home.

The victim's injuries
Michael Brewer suffered life-threatening third degree and second degree burns that covered over 65% of his body; including his hair, ears, chest and hands.

Nancy Broadhead suffered sever burns to her head and hands which were not life-threatening, and smoke inhalation.

The Broadhead case
Both the 11-year-old and her boyfriend, 15-year-old Jack Ault, have been charged with attempted murder and arson; Ault has also been charged with Grand Theft. Nancy Broadhead's daughter is in a psychiatric ward and being evaluated under the Florida Baker Act.

The Baker Act allows involuntary examination of persons who pose a threat to themselves or others, and are suspected of having a mental illness.

Jack Ault is no stranger to the law, he has an arrest record which includes five arrest this year for several misdemeanors, however, one is serious because it involved domestic battery. Ault has been charged with attempted murder, arson and grand theft; he is being held without bail, and it is up to the Judicial system to decide if he shall be treated as a minor or an adult in this case.

Broadhead's 11-year-old daughter was charged with attempted murder and arson. But she cannot be charged as an adult because under Florida law minors under age 14 can only be charged as adults for capital felonies such as murder; attempted murder is not a capital felony, according to ABC News report by Sarah Netter.

Why would a child set their mother on fire
Did Nancy Broadhead's lifestyle and parenting cause her daughter to plot her death? A recent report in Tampa Bay titled, Burned mother, family are well-know to authorities, by Tom Brennan, Elaine Silverstrini and Ray Reyes sheds light on Nancy Broadhead who seems to have a slew of serious problems. Including, alleged alcohol and painkiller addictions, child neglect, custody battles, court records show she has three children with three different fathers, alleged association with Ku Klux Klan, DUI with a child in the car, domestic battery, and child abuse.

Samantha Broadhead's attempt to burn her mother alive is in no way justified, however, there is strong negative connection between Nancy Broadhead's lifestyle and parenting and her young daughter's behavior.

An 11-year-old girl sets mom on fire in Florida, and one cannot help wondering why; it is hard to believe that an argument over stolen cigarettes caused this kid to plot to kill her mother, it seems more likely that she may have been screaming, "I hate you!" A recent photo that appeared on the Internet of Samantha Broadhead is very disturbing because she does not look like an 11-year-old child, she appears to be wearing make up, and looks a lot older.

The only good to come out of this horrific incident is that the Samantha is being evaluated, and hopefully professionals will be able to reach her and learn what led to this vicious act. Sadly, it appears that this mother is partly to blame for her child's actions. Nancy Broadhead's daughter may possibly be suffering from some form of "Attachment Disorder".

Attachment Disorders is a result of bad parenting. Dr. Terry M. Levy Ph. D reports, "Research has shown that up to 80% of high-risk families (abuse and neglect, poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, history of maltreatment in parents' childhood, depression and other psychological disorders in parents) create severe attachment disorders in their children."¹ Too many children today are growing up aggressive, angry, and lacking the ability to feel compassion or remorse. These kids are becoming more and more violent, and are committing unthinkable crimes.

Consider this, "Since the 1980's, the number of murders committed by youths has soared 168% and 21% of children in the United States ages 9 to 17 have diagnosable mental or addictive disorders." ²

Parents are failing their children miserably, the neglect, abuse, and addictions that the law enforcement and family services are made aware of need to be addressed more forcefully. Parents need to be held accountable for their parenting or lack thereof. However, this in no way justifies the crimes their children commit. Attempted murder is attempted murder, the law is the law.

SOURCES:

1. Understanding Attachment Disorder - 4Thearpy.com Network - By Terry M. Levy, Ph. D
2. Attachment Explained - Evergreen Psychotherapy Center