A disturbing case in southwest Florida has drawn attention to the severity of juvenile crime after authorities charged a 14-year-old boy with multiple serious felonies in connection with a deliberate house fire. Investigators say the teenager intentionally set a residential home ablaze while four people were sleeping inside, allegedly aiming to kill a teenage friend who lived there. The incident, which occurred in Lehigh Acres in early January, has left a family traumatized and raised broader concerns about youth violence, access to dangerous materials, and the limits of the juvenile justice system when confronting crimes of extreme intent.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, identified as Maikol Estrada Gomez, now faces four counts of attempted felony murder along with additional charges including arson, occupied burglary, making a destructive device, and possession or use of a weapon. While no one was physically injured, officials emphasized that the outcome could easily have been fatal, describing the alleged actions as calculated and extraordinarily dangerous.
The Residential Fire and Emergency Response in Lehigh Acres
The incident unfolded in the early morning hours of Saturday, January 3, when emergency responders were called to a residential fire on the 300 block of Paisley Avenue in Lehigh Acres, Florida. It was approximately 6 a.m. when deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters from the Lehigh Acres Fire Department arrived at the scene. By that time, flames had already damaged the front entrance of the home, forcing the occupants to take desperate measures to escape.
Inside the residence were four people, all of whom had been asleep when the fire started. Investigators later confirmed that the front door had become impassable due to the blaze, leaving the family with no choice but to flee through a window. Despite the intensity of the fire and the hazardous conditions, all four occupants managed to escape without physical injuries, an outcome authorities described as extremely fortunate given the circumstances.
At the scene, deputies made several alarming discoveries that quickly shifted the investigation from a possible accident to an intentional act. Near the front door of the home, officers found an open five-gallon propane tank, a highly flammable object capable of causing an explosion under the right conditions. In addition, authorities located what they described as a homemade Molotov cocktail, indicating the fire had been deliberately ignited using an improvised incendiary device.
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These findings prompted investigators to treat the fire as an attempted homicide rather than simple arson. The presence of both the propane tank and the incendiary device suggested premeditation and planning, raising the stakes of the case significantly. Officials later stated that the materials used could have caused far greater destruction had the fire spread more rapidly or had the propane tank ignited.
Witness Accounts and the Arrest of the Teenage Suspect
As the investigation progressed, detectives began canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses. Several individuals told authorities that a teenage boy had been seen parked down the street from the home around the time of the fire. According to these witnesses, the boy briefly approached the victims after the fire began, asking what had happened, before leaving the area. Investigators found this behavior suspicious, particularly given the timing and the proximity to the scene.
Law enforcement officers soon identified the suspect as 14-year-old Maikol Estrada Gomez. He was later located and arrested at his home. During questioning, authorities say the teenager made admissions that confirmed their suspicions. According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Maikol admitted to transporting the propane tank to the residence, using a gas-filled bottle to ignite the fire, and attempting to kill one of the occupants inside the home.
Officials further revealed that the intended target was a teenage friend who lived in the house. While investigators have not publicly detailed the nature of the relationship or what may have motivated the alleged attack, the admission that the act was meant to kill a specific individual underscored the seriousness of the charges. Despite the suspect’s age, authorities emphasized that the alleged intent and method placed the crime among the most severe they encounter.
Following his arrest, Maikol Estrada Gomez was charged with four counts of attempted felony murder, reflecting the risk posed to all four occupants of the home, not just the intended target. Additional charges included arson, occupied burglary, making a destructive device, and possession or use of a weapon. He was subsequently released into the custody of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice for secure detention, where he will remain as the case moves forward.
Impact on the Victims and Community Reaction
For the family who lived in the Paisley Avenue home, the incident has had lasting emotional consequences despite the absence of physical injuries. Namiry Enrique Alvarez, one of the occupants, spoke to local media through a translator, describing the experience as deeply traumatic. She explained that even days after the fire, she and her family members continued to struggle with fear and sleeplessness.
According to Alvarez, the memory of being trapped inside the burning home has lingered, making it difficult to feel safe. She described reliving the moment repeatedly and worrying that something similar could happen again. The psychological toll, she said, has been significant, particularly for a family that narrowly escaped a potentially deadly situation. Alvarez confirmed that the fire blocked the front door, forcing the family to escape through a window in order to survive.
While grateful that no one was hurt, she emphasized that the ordeal has permanently altered their sense of security. The home itself sustained damage, particularly to the front entrance, serving as a physical reminder of the event. Local officials also weighed in on the case, expressing both relief and concern. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno described the alleged actions as horrifying, noting the gravity of a juvenile attempting to kill multiple people in a residence.
He stated that while it was troubling to see someone so young accused of such an act, he was thankful that no lives were lost and that the suspect was taken into custody promptly. The sheriff’s office later released body-camera footage showing deputies and firefighters responding to the fire, including images of the propane tank and the charred front door. The footage underscored the danger faced by the occupants and the narrow margin by which a fatal outcome was avoided.
The case has also sparked broader discussions within the community about juvenile crime and accountability. While Florida’s juvenile justice system is designed to emphasize rehabilitation, the severity of the charges in this case highlights the tension between treating young offenders as children and addressing acts that demonstrate adult-level intent and planning. Legal experts note that cases involving attempted murder and arson by minors often prompt difficult questions about sentencing, detention, and long-term intervention.
As the investigation continues, authorities have stated that they are reviewing all available evidence, including witness statements and physical findings from the scene. PEOPLE magazine confirmed that it reached out to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for additional details, though officials have been cautious about releasing further information given the suspect’s age and the ongoing legal process.
For now, the case remains a stark reminder of how quickly a dispute or personal conflict among teenagers can escalate into life-threatening violence. While the justice system will determine the legal outcome for Maikol Estrada Gomez, the incident has already left a lasting impact on the victims and the surrounding community. The focus, officials say, remains on ensuring accountability, preventing similar incidents, and providing support to those affected by an act that could have ended in tragedy.