Mother told four children she was "going to kill them all" while setting their apartment on fire with them inside, police say

An Ohio woman now faces a felony arson charge after police said she threatened to kill her four children by setting their apartment on fire.

Hawa Hassan, 30, was arrested Saturday after police said she set her apartment on fire in Columbus, Ohio. According to court documents obtained by WSYX, witnesses at the scene encountered Hassan’s four children, who told neighbors that their mother had threatened their lives. Hassan then allegedly ignited a fire in the apartment’s bedroom while she and the children were still inside.

Court documents state that the four children were not injured and managed to es

Police wrote in court documents that the children told neighbors Hassan used a lighter to start a fire in the bedroom while telling them she was “going to kill them all.” When officers with the Columbus Division of Police spoke with Hassan at the scene, she allegedly admitted to setting the fire.

WSYX’s reporting from the scene showed one apartment charred on the exterior of the building. Officials reported no other injuries. The apartment complex in Columbus’ Hilltop area sits near a middle school.

Hassan is currently being held at the Franklin County Jail without bond. Authorities charged her with aggravated arson, along with two misdemeanor counts of assault and domestic violence by assault. Her next court date is scheduled for May 4.

cape the apartment. WSYX reported that all four children were taken into the custody of Franklin County Children’s Services.