Woman Accused of Pushing Her Mother into Burning Home Pleads Guilty to Arson

A Lakeside woman accused of trying to kill her 74-year-old mother by pushing her back into their burning home entered a guilty plea Tuesday at the El Cajon courthouse and is expected to be sentenced to years in prison.

Neomi Lynn Rodriguez, 42, is also accused of setting the fire, which occurred the afternoon of Jan. 1 on Lakeview Granada.

Rodriguez was charged with attempted murder, arson, elder abuse, dissuading a witness and other counts. She is being held at the Las Colinas Detention Facility in Santee in lieu of $1.5 million bail.

In return for her guilty plea to the arson, the other charges were dismissed.

Rodriguez will be sentenced to eight years in state prison at a hearing Aug. 20.

According to Deputy District Attorney C.J. Mody, the defendant, who faced 12 1/2 years in prison if convicted on all counts, was arrested two days prior to the fire after she called the Sheriff's Department to say she was having hallucinations from being under the influence of methamphetamine.

Rodriguez was released from custody 10 to 12 hours later, only for authorities to be called to the home again, he said.

Mody said the victim, identified as Kazuko Martinez, was in bed when she got up and noticed her daughter's bedroom was on fire.

As the mother tried to leave, her daughter grabbed her and tried to push her into the burning bedroom, but she was able to resist and proceeded toward the front door, the prosecutor said.

Mody alleged that the defendant tackled her mother and said, "You're not getting out of here."

Rodriguez used a tablecloth to try to bind her mother to a dining room table, but the older woman was able to break free, the prosecutor alleged. 

Rodriguez also ripped the phone out of her mother's hand when she tried to call 911, according to Mody, who said neighbors heard the victim's screams and were able to get her away from the burning house.

The defendant tried to stop the neighbors from using garden hoses to put out the fire, the prosecutor alleged.

Both mother and daughter were treated for smoke inhalation.

Judge Charles Ervin said at the defendant's arraignment that she was on misdemeanor probation and had previously failed to appear in court on six occasions. 

- City News Service