MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An accused squatter sent a house up in flames and now the 20-year-old man is facing several charges.
Memphis Police said Caleb Bratcher is to blame, and he is accused of setting the house he squatted in on fire. Ashley Berry lives next door, and was too shaken to show her face on camera, but she told WREG-TV about the moments her children knew something was off.
They saw Bratcher acting strange.
“I’m just thankful that we wasn’t in the bed asleep. Like I don’t even care about the house and all that stuff,” Bratcher said. “He had some stuff in a bag and he had set some stuff on fire back there and they was terrified.”
Berry said Bratcher lived in the home with no electricity or furniture for the last six months. It is sat vacant for the last two years. He made the mother of five uneasy.
“I really didn’t feel comfortable with him being around, knocking on my door,” Bratcher said. “They escorted him out and then yesterday he came back.”
Investigators said he lit the place on fire. Police found him walking down the street, not far from the home. Wednesday night Berry, still rattled from the fire, is thankful things didn’t end worse.
“I just care about our lives. I’m just glad that we were up and not in the bed,” Bratcher said.
