Police arrested a woman after grim CCTV footage showed a homeless person being set on fire – the victim suffered burns to a third of her body and had to be intubated for two weeks
A woman is being held by police after she was accused of setting a 49-year-old homeless woman on fire. Jacqueline Popaibarra, 34, is being held without bail after she was arrested by police from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.
The California cops said Popaibarra is the person in a video that shows a car appearing with a person getting out. The person goes over to a group of people where a woman is sleeping. The woman is doused with some kind of liquid and and a fire then appears.
“Just the idea that you could be sleeping and somebody could come along and have a problem with you from days ago and throw something on you, like, on fire is horrifying,” a person who shares the corner in Sacramento where the incident occurred. They said they can still hear the victim’s screams despite the incident being over three weeks ago.
“Fire, oh my God, that’s to the point of excessive,” one woman said according to local media outlet KTVZ21. The victim is reported to have suffered burns to a third of her body.
Officers said the victim continues to recover and they identified the alleged perpetrator as Popaibarra. The victim, a 49-year-old woman, suffered burns to her face, arms and torso. A breathing tube was removed from the woman this week after she was intubated for two weeks.
“Luckily, there were about four or five others there that were able to put the fire out,” said Sergeant Amar Gandhi.
“Disturbing part is, Jacqueline doesn’t leave. She goes and proceeds to kick her, yell at her for a few minutes and then leaves.”
Popaibarra has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and aggravated mayhem. She was also slapped with an unrelated robbery charge from the same day.
She was supported by friends in court this week. They said Popaibarra would never commit such a crime as she is part of a number of community groups including one that helps the homeless by giving people food, water and blankets.
“You hear about the kind of stuff in third world countries, and you hear about this stuff over being burned by acid,” Sergeant Gandhi said. “This is very up close and personal.”
Police said Popaibarra and the victim were known to each other. They said Popaibarra kicked the victim as she burned.
Popaibarra is due back in court on May 28 for a preliminary hearing and bail review.