Two 12-year-olds have been linked to an act of vandalism in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The pair allegedly set a destructive fire within the interior of the St. John the Evangelist Church yesterday, leaving the community searching for answers. No charges have yet been filed against the children.
The young individuals are implicated in causing significant damage to the place of worship. NBC Boston reports that they allegedly entered the church in the daytime, lit a candle, and then cast matches aside. This resulted in an altar cloth and a Bible being consumed by the flames.
Investigators estimate the fire to have occurred between 2:00 PM and 3:30 PM, according to statements from a staffer at the church's food pantry, and the pastor's report of smelling smoke around 3:30 PM. By 3:40 PM, first responders had arrived on the scene to find the blaze had already been ended with a fire extinguisher.
Despite their actions, no charges were filed against the two suspects. The children's identities will be kept private, safeguarding them from potential public backlash.
