Tragic real life of woman accused of trying to burn down Martin Luther King Jr's home
Laneisha Shantrice Henderson faces attempted arson charges for allegedly trying to burn down the civil rights leader's birth home.
Woman arrested for trying to burn down Martin Luther King Jr's birth home
Authorities in Georgia have identified the woman who allegedly tried to set fire to Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth home in Atlanta after the incident went viral around the world.
Laneisha Shantrice Henderson, from Brandon, Florida, was taken into custody at the Fulton County Jail on charges of Criminal Attempt Arson and Interference with Government Property and today her father has given an insight into her difficult background and mental health battles.
Police were alerted to a report of vandalism in progress at the Auburn Avenue home on Thursday evening.
READ MORE: Moment woman 'tries to burn down' Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth home as arrest made
A tourist from Utah spotted a woman on the porch of the house pouring gasoline over it. He confronted her and stopped her from going back onto the porch after she went to get a lighter.
As she started walking away, Kempf shouted at two other people approaching the house. They turned out to be two off-duty NYPD officers who had been visiting the nearby King Center. They held her until local police arrived.
"That action saved an important part of American history tonight," Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters.
Detectives seized Henderson's car and a phone she was carrying.
Now, her father has told reporters of difficulties his daughter has been facing. He told WSB-TV that his daughter was a military veteran suffering from a mental health issue. He also told the station they had been trying to find her for two days before the incident.
She was taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation before being booked.
"Fortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful, thanks to the brave intervention of good Samaritans and the quick response of law enforcement," the King Center said in a statement.
The house, a two-story Queen Anne-style property built in 1895, is currently undergoing major renovations. Tours of the home have been put on hold and are expected to resume in 2025, as per the National Park Service.
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