Woman Indicted for Leaving Toddler in Burning Home, Prosecutor Says

A Roselle Park woman who left her 2-year-old daughter home in a smoke-filled apartment in July has been indicted on multiple charges,  Acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Monday.

Murlande Colin, 27, was indicted on second-degree aggravated arson and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child charges. According the prosecutor’s office, Colin could face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of these charges.

Colin was arrested July 9 outside of Rockn' Joe in Cranford after leaving her 2-year-old child home alone inside a smoke-filled Roselle Park apartment, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office said. 

Roselle Park and Cranford Police and an officer from the Union County Sheriff’s department arrested Colin in downtown Cranford that afternoon. 

Colin was arrested a few hours after the superintendent of her building noticed smoke coming from the apartment and called authorities, the prosecutor's office said.

The superintendent and two neighbors entered the building before police arrived and discovered Colin’s 2-year-old daughter alone in a bedroom next to an iron that was smoldering on top of clothing, the prosecutor’s office said.

Also discovered in the apartment were clothes burning on a lit stove, Park said.

The toddler was taken to the hospital and was expected to make a full recovery.