Security Camera Footage Led Police Straight to the Teens Who Set a Nursery on Fire in Citrus Heights

Leslie Morgan was out eating with her kids on June 30 when her phone lit up with a security camera notification. She opened it and froze.

Three girls were standing outside her home. One of them was holding a lit firework. Within seconds, it went through the nursery window.

She recognized them the moment she saw their faces.

A Room Full of Everything a Baby Needs, Gone in Minutes

The incident happened around 7:01 p.m. at the family’s home in Citrus Heights, a city just north of Sacramento in Northern California.

Anthony Cadena, Leslie’s husband, was in another room when she called him. He opened the nursery door and found the mattress fully on fire.

A passerby stopped to help and together they used a garden hose to keep the flames from spreading until Sacramento Metro Fire arrived.

Firefighters managed to contain the fire to that one room. But the damage was done.

The crib was gone. The blankets were gone. Baby clothes, bottles, sheets, everything the couple had spent months collecting for their son, destroyed. Baby Noah was due in less than two weeks.

“The whole baby’s room is torched. It’s done… all the rooms in the house are covered in soot… everything,” Anthony told local reporters.

Even the items that didn’t burn were contaminated by smoke and were no longer safe to use with a newborn. The family had to gut the room completely.

The Camera Saw Everything the Girls Didn’t Expect

Two of the girls were clearly caught on Leslie’s home security camera. The footage showed them lighting the firework, throwing it through the bedroom window, and immediately running away.

Anthony’s mother Nancy Cadena later said she believes the camera footage is exactly what cracked the case open. Without it, there’s a strong chance these girls never get identified.

According to Fox40, the Citrus Heights Police Department confirmed all three juvenile girls were arrested and charged with aggravated arson, arson, burglary, and conspiracy. All felonies.

This is becoming a pattern worth paying attention to. Just recently, a couple in Bowling Green broke into a vacant listed home and used forged documents to claim they owned it and in that case too, it was someone paying close attention that helped break it open.

This Was Personal, Not Random

Police confirmed this was not a random attack. The incident was tied to a prior dispute involving one of the girls who has a connection to the home.

Leslie said the girls had been bullying her daughter for some time and had made multiple attempts to start a physical fight. She knew exactly who they were the moment she saw the footage.

“Seeing someone actually do that to someone’s house… they saw it was a baby room… just to see that these girls just don’t care about anything… it’s unbelievable, honestly,” she said.

A personal grudge turned into a felony arson targeting a pregnant woman’s home. That is how quickly things can go from a school conflict to a criminal charge.

It follows the same pattern as when a woman in Houston walked into a home while the babysitter had briefly stepped away, a small personal opening that someone chose to exploit.

Why This Matters Beyond One Family

This story is not just about one home in California. It is a reminder of how fast something irreversible can happen.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fireworks were responsible for more than 31,000 fires across the United States in 2022 alone. That includes over 3,500 structure fires and an estimated $109 million in property damage.

Most of those fires were preventable. And most of them happened during the same window of the year, right around the Fourth of July, when fireworks are everywhere and judgment is not always present.

What makes this case different is that it was intentional. It was targeted. And the only reason justice was possible is because a security camera was running at the right moment. These situations are not as rare as people think.

A Richmond family also had their home targeted during the Fourth of July period, and investigators confirmed that home was specifically chosen, not a coincidence.

The Family Chose Forgiveness Anyway

Despite losing months of careful preparation in a matter of seconds, Leslie and Anthony are not carrying anger.

“Our family forgives these girls because that’s what we do. We’re not holding a grudge against them. I do hope that something happens to change their perspective,” Leslie said.

Anthony’s sister Kristy launched a GoFundMe to help replace the nursery essentials and cover repair costs before Noah arrives. After the story spread across social media, complete strangers started donating and sending messages of support.

“All the people reaching out, it’s a tremendous blessing. It brings love to my heart that people are out there and willing to help,” Anthony said.

If you want to stay updated on residential safety stories like this one as they happen, there is a WhatsApp channel covering real home incidents and practical safety tips.

What the Girls Are Facing Now

The three juvenile girls have been charged with aggravated arson, arson, burglary, and conspiracy. Their ages have not been made public because they are minors.

In California, cases involving juvenile defendants go through a separate court system. That system focuses more on rehabilitation than on punishment. But the charges here are serious felonies, and the case is still under active investigation.

Prosecutors will ultimately decide how to move forward.

Final Thoughts

A couple spent months getting ready for their first child. They picked out every item in that nursery with care. And in under a minute, because of a personal dispute that had nothing to do with that baby, it was all gone.

What saved this case from going unsolved was one security camera pointed at the right window.

Do you think juvenile arson cases like this one should carry heavier consequences? Share your thoughts in the comments below. This story deserves more than a scroll past.

For more coverage of real home security incidents across the country, visit Build Like New. Follow us on X and join our Facebook community for updates as this case continues to develop.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, based on publicly available news reports and law enforcement statements. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.