Iowa woman tells police she’s a witch after trying to light porch on fire: report

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A woman – who believes she is a witch – was attracted by a “Witches Welcome” sign outside a stranger’s home and nearly burned the porch down in Iowa, police said.

Responding officers in Burlington, Iowa, found Michelle Young, 46, allegedly torching a handful of bizarre items, like a taillight, tin foil, bark and a yellow lawn flag, outside what she thought was her friend’s home, The Hawk Eye reported, based on the probable cause affidavit. 

She allegedly told arresting officers that she spent about two hours in the area scavenging for peculiar items, but she did not mean to hurt anyone or let the fire get out of hand, the local newspaper reported.

Young reportedly told police that she thought it was her friend’s home, but the owner said she had never met Young before. 

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Michelle Young said she believes she is a witch and allegedly set fire to a neighbor’s porch in Burlington, Iowa, police said. (Burlington Police Department )

The initial call came at around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, after the homeowner’s security camera sent an “alert of motion,” Burlington police said. 

The owner saw a stranger lighting a pile of bizarre items on fire on her porch, with smoke visible in the camera’s view, according to police. 

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Burlington firefighters quickly knocked down the flames, and no one was injured. 

During her arrest, Young allegedly told officers that she was a witch and thought the home belonged to a friend and did not mean to cause any harm. 

Michelle Young allegedly collected peculiar items for hours and lit them on fire on a woman’s porch on the 2200 block of Vineyard Street in Burlington, Iowa. (Google Street View)

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She was charged with reckless use of fire and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

The judge set her bond at $5,000 cash-only during Wednesday’s court proceeding. Her next appearance is scheduled for March 29, pending a preliminary hearing.

Chris Eberhart is a crime and US news reporter for Fox News Digital. Email tips to chris.eberhart@fox.com or on Twitter @ChrisEberhart48.