Suspect's Facebook photo Credit: 19 Action News

Every teenager butts heads with their parents at some point.. It’s practically in the definition of “teenager.” On Wednesday, a 16-year-old Liberty Township boy took teen angst to a whole new level when he tried to burn his parents to death inside their home. 

According to Cincinnati’s WCPO and Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones, “this was a cold, calculated plot.” Police discovered drawings and journals that described the teen’s plan to murder his parents, which he acted out at around 11:30 p.m. The suspect tied his parent’s bedroom door shut, lit a fire outside of it, and then fled the scene in his father’s car. 

Suspect’s Facebook photo Credit: 19 Action News

Perry Simon, the boy’s father, escaped by jumping out of the bedroom’s second story window. He broke both legs. His wife, Sharon Simon, was rescued by Liberty Township fire crews and deputies after suffering smoke inhalation. 
The Simons thought that their son was still inside the house when help arrived, prompting a search by fire crews. The teen confessed when he was found, and failed to display any sign of remorse.  

According to 19 Action News, the teen posted a status on Facebook around 7:15 p.m. the same day that read, “I’m so pissed at everything I’m boutta be wreckless.” The 16-year-old is an honor student at Lakota West High School and didn’t have a criminal record. 
The teen has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated arson. Sheriff Jones announced at a news conference that he will be suggesting that the teen is tried as an adult.

Cecily Rus joined Scene as a blogging intern in September 2013. She is a recent graduate of Colgate University, where she majored in English/Creative Writing. She has previously interned at Scene Magazine in Boston. Her interests include traveling, cheeseburgers and Game of Thrones. Cecily is a Lakewood native and an aspiring editor.

2 replies on “Liberty Township Teen Tries to Burn Down House, Parents”

  1. Your source is completely inaccurate. I know “The boy”. This was not cold and calculated. yes “the boy” had mental health problems, but he was in a state of incompetence. the “drawings and plans” were not plans to burn his house down. they were from his damn dream journal. The relevancy of you adding his latest face book post is absolutely zero. Kids like us post things like this all of the time. it had nothing to do with his incident. “The boy” is also not, in fact, 16, but is 18. good day sir!

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