VIDEO: Officers Rescue Man and Daughter from Fire, Father Charged
Video: Florida Officers Save Girl and Father From House Fire, Father Charged with Arson
Orlando police officers are being hailed as heroes after they pulled a man and his young daughter from a burning home just after 5:00 a.m. But now the father is being charged with arson and attempted murder.
August 20, 2015
A man rescued from an Orlando house fire early Thursday morning has been arrested, reports WOFL .
Robert Merritt, 49, is charged with attempted murder and arson. Investigators said he intentionally set a fire which endangered his 6-year-old daughter.
Orlando police officers are being hailed as heroes after they pulled Merritt and his daughter from the burning home just after 5:00 a.m.
The officers said they arrived within minutes and saw smoke coming from the house and inside the house. They saw the girl standing at the front bedroom window trying to get air from a small opening.
Sgt. Joe Capece and Officer Mike Turner broke the window as Officer Chris Valenti and Officer Russell Sayer pulled the girl from the house. The officers then went into the house and pulled Merritt from the smoke-filled bedroom and dragged him outside.
The officers also located a dog inside the house and pulled it to safety.
The Orlando Fire Department arrived and put out the house fire. Merritt was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition. The soot-covered child was transported to Florida Hospital South in stable condition.
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