Two parents in New York were charged with arson after they set their own home in Minoa, with their five children, all under 17, inside set on fire on the evening of Saturday, July 18.
The couple, identified as Dale, 49, and Aubree Oneal, 47, were charged with multiple felony counts, including arson and conspiracy. They were also charged with misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment.
The investigation determined that the couple were fighting and had set the fire intentionally on the second floor of the house, and the five children were on the first floor, completely unaware of the fire.
The police department said Dale used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire and got everyone out of the home. Officers noted that the parents were intoxicated; hence, they had impaired judgment during the incident.
The house had minor damage since the fire was out immediately. For now, the couple is being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center. The court hearing was scheduled for July 24, and the bail is set at $100,000 bond or $50,000 cash bail. The department placed the children with a family member.
According to reports, the parents had been drinking all night and had an argument. Dale reportedly poured gasoline on the floor, and Aubree set it on fire with a lighter. The motive for their action is still unclear. She just explained to the officer that she thought it wouldn’t catch fire and defended herself, saying, “It’s not arson if nothing burns down.”
The police department did not release much information about the case to protect the identity of the children. When reporters asked the neighbor about the incident, many were not aware of the fire next door.
‘It’s not an arson if nothing burned down’: ‘Intoxicated’ parents set their own house on fire while their 5 kids were inside, police say https://t.co/UKCg50Lfvu
— Law & Crime (@lawcrimenews) July 23, 2026
The news has drawn significant attention online, with netizens reacting strongly. One user suggested, “Probably need to keep those children away from the parents…forever.” Another one commented, “Sounds like the REAL children were UPSTAIRS, not downstairs. Don’t call them adults when they are really clowns!”
One more added, “Please, please social workers do NOT return these children to those monsters! Do NOT make excuses for these monsters.” The situation could have been worse had the fire not been put out. It was fortunate that no one got hurt due to the fire.
Disclaimer: The Inquisitr could not independently confirm the facts of this incident and is reporting based on the information available within the public video record.
