A grand jury report added new weight to allegations that a bedroom fire endangered four children.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Franklin County criminal case is moving forward against Hawa Hassan, a Columbus mother accused of setting an apartment fire while her four children were inside, according to police and court records.
The May 2 fire at an Eakin Road apartment building led first to an arrest, then to felony arson allegations tied to the safety of children and other occupants. Hassan, 30, was initially charged with aggravated arson, assault and domestic violence by assault. A later local report said a grand jury indicted her on two aggravated arson counts and four misdemeanor counts, shifting the case from the first court filing toward the next stage of prosecution.
The legal case began with a structure fire call at the Wedgewood Apartment complex in the 3700 block of Eakin Road. Firefighters were sent to the building at about 8:15 a.m. after a report of flames in a multiunit apartment building. The complaint said several people were inside, including minor children. Investigators later traced the fire to a bedroom and said it had been intentionally set. Columbus police detained Hassan at the scene. Court records say she admitted to officers that she started the fire. That alleged admission, if admitted in court, could become one of the central pieces of evidence against her.
The complaint also describes witness statements that may shape the prosecution’s case. One witness reported hearing alarms and seeing Hassan state that she had set the apartment fire. Another witness encountered four children who said their mother started the blaze with a lighter, according to the complaint. The children also said Hassan threatened to kill them, using the words “going to kill them all,” police wrote. The records do not say whether the children made those statements directly to police at the scene or whether investigators later interviewed them separately. Prosecutors have not publicly released a full fire report, a 911 call, body camera video or a detailed timeline from inside the unit.
Aggravated arson is treated as a serious charge in Ohio because it focuses not only on the act of setting a fire but also on the risk created for people or occupied property. In this case, the risk alleged by police involved smoke, heat and flames inside a building where adults and children were present. The complaint did not say that anyone was burned or overcome by smoke. No injuries were reported. But the lack of physical injuries does not erase the allegation that the fire created a substantial risk of serious harm. That distinction is likely to matter as the case moves through court.
Hassan was held at the Franklin County jail after her arrest, according to early reports. One report said she was held without bond at the first stage, while another later account listed a $2 million bond and a May 12 court date. Those differences appear to reflect changing points in the case as the court process moved from arrest to later hearings. The public reports do not show whether Hassan has entered a plea. They also do not show whether she has retained a lawyer, received appointed counsel or made any public statement through an attorney. The charges remain allegations unless proven in court.
The children’s status is separate from the criminal case but closely tied to it. WSYX reported that the four minors were placed with Franklin County Children’s Services after the fire. Court records cited in later reporting said Hassan and her husband divorced in 2025. Officials have not said whether the children were placed with relatives, in foster care or in another temporary arrangement. The agency has not released case details, which is common when minors are involved. The public record also does not state whether juvenile court proceedings have been opened or whether any custody orders have been issued.
The indictment stage usually means prosecutors have presented enough evidence to a grand jury to support formal charges. It does not decide guilt. It allows the case to proceed toward arraignment on the indictment, discovery, hearings and possible trial. Prosecutors may call fire investigators, police officers, neighbors and other witnesses if the case moves to trial. Defense lawyers may challenge the alleged admission, the wording of witness statements, the fire-origin finding or the way investigators connected Hassan to the lighter and the bedroom fire. The public filings reported so far do not include a motive.
The apartment building itself remains part of the evidence. Investigators said the fire began in a bedroom, and WSYX footage showed charring on the outside of one apartment. Fire investigators often examine burn patterns, ignition sources, smoke movement and damage to determine whether a fire was accidental or set. In this case, authorities said they made that finding early. The complaint did not detail whether a lighter was recovered, where it was found or whether any laboratory testing was ordered. Those details may emerge in discovery or later testimony if prosecutors continue to pursue the indictment.
Hawa Hassan’s case remained a pending Franklin County matter tied to the May 2 apartment fire. The next major developments are expected in court, where prosecutors must support the charges and the defense will have a chance to respond.
Author note: Last updated May 23, 2026.