Arson destroys teen’s dream of buying house for family, $1,000 reward offered

MANITOWOC, Wis. (WBAY) - Police say they are investigating what they suspect is an arson on the 3300 block of Mero Street in Manitowoc.

According to Manitowoc Police, the fire happened at 12:15 a.m. Monday, and is believed to have started inside a detached building on the property of a vacant home. They say the fire spread to the vacant home, as well as to other occupied residences in that area.

The fire destroyed a 16-year-old’s dream of owning the property.

Makayla Green had been working with lawyers for the past year to gain the rights to the home her grandmother grew up in.

“I wanted to save this house, I wanted to fix it up and I wanted to have a family here, like my grandma did,” said Green.

All so she could take care of her.

“This was her way out of a drug infested house, she was going to move in here once I got it fixed up,” said Green.

• CLICK HERE for a GoFundMe to help Makayla.

However, her dreams were set ablaze early Monday morning by the unknown arsonist.

“Today (Tuesday), I was supposed to go and have me sign the final papers for me to own this house... and then I got the call,” said Green. “The first thing I thought was, who did this?”

“For weeks, she’s been working on the house, so it’s just really disheartening to know that someone had done this intentionally,” said neighbor Jill Scharenbroch.

Although the house has technically been empty for a few years, Green says it has always been full of memories.

“It’s not an abandoned house, it means something to somebody, and a lot of somebody’s,” said Green. “We used to play back here all the time, and my grandma would play with us.”

With all the damage done, Green is left heartbroken.

“If you were mad at me getting the house, we could have talked it out, we could have worked something out, why would you do something like this?” asks Green. “Just to fix it, it would take about as much as the house is worth.”

Police say they are offering a reward of up to $1,000 - including $500 from Green herself - for any information leading to the arrest of the person, or persons, responsible for the incident.

No one has been arrested for the incident as of this time.

If you have information, you’re asked to call Crime Stoppers at 920-683-4466, use the P3 app, or contact Detective David McCue at 920-686-6570. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

“If you did do this, please turn yourself in, it will help me see a little big of good in the world,” pleads Green.

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