An Orange County grand jury has formally indicted an Orlando woman on murder and attempted murder charges in connection with a house fire that killed her infant son and wounded another child.
On Wednesday, December 11, 26-year-old Esther Thelus was indicted for first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder for allegedly setting herself on fire in an Orlando residence, resulting in the death of her infant son and injuring her two-year-old son.
According to court records, Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the 7200 block of Hiawassee Oaks Drive in Orlando at around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, August 26, in reference to reports of a house fire involving a woman and two children.
Upon arrival, deputies found Thelus and her two young children who had burns on their bodies. The arrest affidavit stated that approximately 50% to 60% of Thelus’ body was burned in the fire. Her infant son, Da Vinci Joseph, had “80-90% of his body burned,” while her other son sustained “minor burns.”
Thelus and the two children were rushed to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries.
The infant boy, identified as 9-month-old Da Vinci Joseph, was transferred to UF Shands Hospital in Gainesville due to the severity of his injuries. Sadly, he died from his injuries at the hospital.
Thelus’ other child was released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
The sheriff’s office launched a thorough homicide investigation, and detectives allegedly obtained video surveillance footage from a local 7-Eleven that “showed (Thelus) purchasing a lighter, a gas can, and gasoline, before walking back home with the purchased items,” according to the arrest affidavit.
The indictment alleges that once Thelus returned home, she went inside and “intentionally set herself and the two children on fire.”
Thelus was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder. She is currently being held without bond at Orange County Jail.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Court records show that Thelus is currently being represented by the Office of the Public Defender.