The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal has arrested a Mermentau woman in connection with the death of her mother in a house fire.
Danielle Hunt, 36, was booked into the Acadia Parish Jail on Wednesday, September 20, on one count of Negligent Homicide.
In the early morning hours of September 10, the Mermentau Volunteer Fire Department contacted the LAOSFM to assist with determining the origin and cause of a house fire located in the 300 block of Second Street.
The homeowner, Earlene Robideaux, had been transported to an area burn unit for life-threatening injuries sustained in the fire. The homeowner’s daughter, Hunt, who was the only other occupant of the home at the time of the fire, was taken into custody for questioning.
Following an assessment of the scene, investigators determined the fire began in the home’s living room area.
In an initial interview with investigators, Hunt allegedly provided several stories for how the fire could have started. She told investigators she had taken illegal narcotics and one possibility was that she fell asleep while smoking a cigarette. Hunt also told investigators she had “mental problems.” She was subsequently transported to an area medical facility for evaluation.
On Friday, September 14, Robideaux, 58, succumbed to her injuries sustained in the fire.
Following Hunt’s release on September 19, she was re-interviewed by investigators and subsequently placed under arrest.
