BURLINGTON, Iowa – A 46-year-old woman from Iowa was apprehended following allegations that she ignited a fire on the porch of a stranger’s residence. Citing that she is a Witch, she approached the residence apparently because of a sign that reads “Witches Welcome.” Her mugshot has gone viral.
Michelle Young was arrested on Tuesday, March 19. 2024, and charged with one serious misdemeanor count related to the reckless use of fire or explosive material followed by a second charge regarding drug paraphernalia, per Des Moines County court records.
via Burlington Police
In response to a call reporting an “alert of motion” from a security camera, officers from the Burlington Police Department were dispatched to a residence on the 2200 block of Vineyard Avenue in Burlington, Iowa, at 4:33 p.m.
Though the resident was absent at the time of the incident, she informed the dispatcher that an unfamiliar woman had recently ignited a fire on her porch. The resident noted that she had no prior acquaintance with the alleged perpetrator.
Young reportedly claimed to have mistaken the residence for her friend’s home and said she knocked on the front door three times without a response.
Allegedly noticing a sign reading “Witches Welcome,” she asserted that she was a Witch and proceeded to ignite some items she had recently gathered. Emergency responders discovered Young on the porch, where she allegedly revealed that her acquaintance resided in the home before admitting to initiating the fire.
Authorities stated that firefighters promptly extinguished the fire, resulting in minimal damage to the property.
According to the complaint, Young informed law enforcement that she had been roaming around the Vineyard Street area for approximately two hours, collecting various items. She stated that she knocked on the door of the residence three times, under the impression that her friend resided there. Young mentioned she then smoked a cigarette on the porch, attempted to knock once more, received no response, and subsequently set fire to clothing and other miscellaneous items while still on the porch.
According to a sworn statement, Young had been present in the vicinity for approximately two hours prior to visiting the home. During this time, she reportedly gathered an assortment of items, including a car’s taillight, tin foil, bark, and a yellow lawn flag.
After a final round knocking on the door without response, Young allegedly proceeded to ignite the items she had collected, including clothing. There were no reported injuries resulting from the incident. Authorities indicated that the fire caused minimal damage to the porch of the house.
Police noted again that the resident of the home said she did not know the Young nor had ever seen her before.
Following her arrest, officers discovered drug paraphernalia during a search of Young, leading to an additional misdemeanor charge.
Young stressed to officers that her actions were not intended to cause harm or property damage.
Subsequently, Young was detained at the Des Moines County Jail on a $5,000 bond. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for the afternoon of March 29.
Editorial Note: Media sources are again referring to Young as “self-proclaimed,” a term rarely applied to Christians, Jews, Muslims, or other religious groups. The Wild Hunt should note that we were not able to contact Young for clarification of her spiritual or magickal practice.
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