Ronkonkoma woman, Ashley Richard, set fire to her home with 3 children inside, Suffolk police say

Suffolk police arrested and charged a Ronkonkoma woman with arson for setting her own home on fire while there were children inside, the department said.

Ashley Richard "intentionally" set fire to her Avenue C home around 6:20 p.m. on Sept. 12, Suffolk police said in a news release.

After allegedly setting the blaze, Richard, 26, told the three children in the home, ages 6, 9 and 13, to evacuate through a first-story window, according to police. Richard also vacated the home. No injuries were reported in the incident.

After Suffolk Arson Section detectives investigated the fire, police arrested Richard around 12:35 p.m. on Wednesday and charged her with second-degree arson and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, the department said.

Richard was being held overnight, police said. She is scheduled for arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on Thursday.