Florida Woman Charged With Arson, Child Abuse After Fire, Wax Incident

Meliza CamposSanchez, a 26-year-old Miami mother, was arrested on August 17, 2026, and faces multiple felony charges after allegedly pouring hot candle wax on her two young daughters and deliberately starting a fire in their kitchen while they were present. The incidents, which occurred on August 16, were documented in videos she posted to her Instagram account, according to arrest affidavits.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to a reported kitchen blaze at CamposSanchez's home on August 16. A fire investigator concluded the fire had been set intentionally using combustible materials, an open flame, and ignitable liquids. The scene showed charred items and minor burn damage to the center of the tiled kitchen floor. During their investigation, authorities discovered two videos posted to CamposSanchez's Instagram account that captured the events.

In one recording, CamposSanchez wore a silver mask while spraying a liquid onto clothing on the floor and igniting it with a red lighter. In a second video, she poured melted wax from lit candles onto her own leg and then onto the hands of her daughters, ages 3 and 6. The eldest daughter told investigators she and her younger sister...