Teen charged after allegedly trying to burn family alive as they slept

A Florida teenager has been charged with attempted murder after deputies say he tried to burn down a family home while people were sleeping inside.

According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the attack unfolded on January 3 at a home on the 200 block of Paisley Avenue in Lehigh Acres.

Deputies and firefighters rushed to the scene after reports of a residential blaze.

When officers arrived, they discovered an opened five-gallon propane tank positioned near the front door. Inside the house, four people were trapped - but all managed to escape through a window without injury, authorities said.

Witnesses later told investigators they saw the teenage suspect parked down the street during the chaos. Authorities said he briefly approached the victims, casually asking what had happened, before leaving the area.

Deputies arrested the suspect later at his home. During questioning, the sheriff office said the teenager admitted he set the fire in an attempt to kill someone inside the house.

He now faces a long list of charges, including four counts of attempted felony murder, arson, occupied burglary and two other charges.

The investigation is still ongoing.