Girl lit fire leaving no way out for mother

Lynette Chapman's sons Todd (left) Brad and Cole with a picture of their mother. Photo / APN

A teenage girl told police she knew a Pukekohe mother was at home, probably sleeping with the television on, when she started a fire that blocked the woman's chance to escape and left her to die.

The 16-year-old set fire to a sweatshirt drenched in absinthe at the bottom of a stairwell in Lynette Chapman's home and left the house as the house began to burn.

She yesterday pleaded guilty to murder and two counts of arson. She has been remanded in custody until she is sentenced on July 23. Her name is suppressed.

The girl, now 17, admitted to police she heard the television playing upstairs when she approached the house, knew Ms Chapman was home, and had earlier spoke of knowing, "Lynette sleeps with her television on all the time".

The girl went to the home Ms Chapman shared with her sons Brad, Todd and Cole. They would normally be sleeping there but on January 20, 2009, they were staying at their father's house elsewhere in Pukekohe.

The girl knew one of the sons and there was animosity between them, but there was none between her and his mother.

She and a 19 year-old man went to the house and set alight a T-shirt on the front step. He last week pleaded guilty to manslaughter and arson and was jailed for two years. The man was granted leave to apply for home detention.

Disappointed the T-shirt burned out quickly, the girl took the sweatshirt, that belonged to one of the sons, and entered the house where she set it on fire by the stairwell. She also poured absinthe on the floor.

After she started the fire the two went back to the girl's house where her caregiver heard them speak about what happened.

Neighbours heard the fire but couldn't help because the house had been engulfed in flames.

Firefighters found the stairs had been completely consumed by fire so had to get to the upper storey using ladders through an upper window.

The fire was so fierce the front door had been sucked inwards and off its supports.

Ms Chapman was found in her bedroom with her head at the foot of the bed. A pathologist report to police said she had been overcome by smoke.

The girl walked into the High Court at Auckland yesterday with her arms folded. When she was asked to enter a plea she said "guilty," quietly before starting to cry.

She sat slumped with her head down as Justice Geoffrey Venning called for pre-sentence reports.

The court was told she has been in the at-risk unit of a women's jail since last week.

Detective Inspector Mark Gutry said police learned of the change of plea last week, after her co-offender was sentenced.

He was to have given evidence for the Crown against her at her trial, which was due to begin on April 12.

Mr Gutry said the guilty plea acknowledged what occurred.

He said a "mother had died" and now a "young girl will spend a long time in prison".

Ms Chapman's family were pleased there wasn't going to be a trial.