Woman pleads guilty in mobile home fire

A Beach Park woman was placed on probation for two years Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to her role in a fire that destroyed a Park City mobile home.

Tammy Klein, 36, of the 38000 block of Sheridan Road, will be in jail when not working or attending counseling for the first year of that term.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Eric Kalata said Klein and Kimberly Jones, 49, were originally charged with aggravated arson in the Feb. 22 blaze that destroyed Jones' home.

Police said Jones, who was behind in her lot rent and was trying to sell the house in the 3000 block of Diana Street, decided to burn it instead to collect insurance money.

Klein told police Jones instructed her to start a fire in the bedroom fireplace in the house, then take a burning piece of wood and lay it on the floor.

After doing so, Klein told police she took a shower and when she got out of the shower, the house was full of smoke.

Klein woke up Jones' 10-year-old son and brought him and their pets to safety. Jones was not home at the time of the fire, Kalata said.

Kalata said he agreed to reduce the charge against Klein to arson in exchange for her guilty plea.

Jones faces the original charge, punishable by up to 30 years in prison if convicted. She is due to appear in court Oct. 22.