Report: 3 kids charged in arson, adult charged for telling them to lie

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Residents of a nearby apartment complex directed police to where they could find the juveniles thought to be involved. Those juveniles then directed police to another group of children, according to the report.

Police approached Lauriel Ellis to ask her about the fire and the possible involvement of two of her children. Ellis reportedly gave police a fake name, as well as directed the two juveniles to lie about their names as well, according to police.

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Ellis had four active warrants out for her arrest at the time she allegedly lied to police, according to a police report. She has since been charged with two misdemeanors including falsification and contributing to the delinquency of a minor for her role in Saturday’s incident.

As of Saturday, one of the juveniles had been booked and lodged in the Juvenile Justice Center and arrest warrants had been issued for the two other juveniles thought to have been involved in setting the fire, according to police.