COLUMBUS — A brother and sister, ages 11 and 10, had poured kerosene in a bedroom and laid out 10 knives as they prepared to stab their strict grandmother and two siblings to death, authorities said.

Judith Follette

        The kerosene started a fire that the pair thought would make the deaths look accidental, a detective said. But the smoke woke up one of the other children, who roused the others in the rural Franklin County house. All escaped without injury.

        The grandmother, Judith Follette, said the 10-year-old girl told her of the plan as the family ate breakfast at a restaurant Monday.

        “She said he wanted to kill us. His plan was to kill us and take my car over and live with my ex-husband,” Ms. Follette, 52, told the Columbus Dispatch.

        “Apparently, they had planned this for some time. That gave me a cold chill.”

        Lawyers for the pair entered innocent pleas Tuesday in Franklin County Juvenile Court to delinquency counts of aggravated arson. The children, identified in court records as Amber Thibodeaux and Jimmy Thibodeaux Jr., were being held in juvenile detention and did not appear in court. If convicted, they could be in state custody until age 21.

        The children can't be sentenced to prison because they are too young under Ohio law.

        Ms. Follette said the children thought she was too strict.

        She said the 11-year-old boy especially has been angry with her because she has been using tough-love tactics to get his respect, including timeouts, groundings and forcing him to stand in the middle of the room on one leg.

        Sheriff's Detective Al Judy said the children have been on strong anti-depressant medication. He does not think they understand the consequences of their actions.

        “Their idea was the house was too small and they wanted to go live with Grandpa,” he said Tuesday.

        He said the fire was started in the 10-year-old girl's bedroom with kerosene and candles.

        “We filed the charges because we hope they receive some obviously needed counseling,” Det. Judy said. “Their mom and dad are out of state and Grandma was doing the best she could.”
       

As police inquiry nears end, oversight becomes key issue
New Warren hospital proponents push ahead
Roach on job in Evendale
Auto dealer Ron Borcherding, 65, dies
Crash closes I-75 north
Keebler heiress receives probation
Ohio concealed-carry verdict due Friday
Patents might aid skin care
Tristate A.M. Report
UC's online Blackboard goes beyond lectures
HOWARD: Some Good News
KORTE: City Hall
RADEL: Memories of '37
SAMPLES: Math test
Assault complaint is first against deputy
Road may bisect Hamilton park
'State of the city' is good, Mason residents learn today
United Way increases outlay in Warren Co.
House OKs new districts
Kids accused of plot to kill
Fort Wright might blossom with sidewalks
Hamilton picked in renewal program
Horizons to be expanded
House plan divides yet another Ky. county
Kentucky News Briefs
Making a difference? They did
McConnell seeks 6 more years
Tracks watch chamber's vote on track gambling