PEN ARGYL, Northampton County — A Slate Belt woman has been charged with aggravated assault after allegedly setting her girlfriend on fire upon learning that she had been unfaithful to her, according to a report by WFMZ.
Kayla L. Mettler, 27, was also charged with simple assault and reckless endangerment in the incident, which happened at about 6 p.m. Sunday.
Police were dispatched to a home on Main Street in Slate Belt for the report that a woman had tried to light someone on fire.
When police arrived, the found Mettler sitting in the kitchen. When asked what had happened, she allegedly admitted to police that she had lit her girlfriend on fire when she discovered the woman had been cheating on her.
The victim sustained second-degree burns to her left ear, chest and arms. She was treated at the burn unit at an area hospital.
According to police, Mettler said she and the victim had been dating for about five years, but Mettler had just found out the woman had been unfaithful to her. She told police she attempted to speak to the victim, but the victim refused to talk.
When the victim left the house, Mettler allegedly went into the kitchen, found a bottle of lighter fluid, poured it on the victim, lit a match, and threw it at her.
After arriving at the home, EMTs told Northampton County emergency communications that the victim’s shirt was “off and smoldering,” but that she had sustained burns.
Mettler failed to post bail following her arraignment and was sent to Northampton County Prison to await a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 12.
