Stepmom forced her child to burn their home twice for insurance payout, officials say

A Georgia mother forced her stepchild to start a fire inside their home on at least two separate occasions in a plot to collect insurance money, state officials said.

Courtney Sellers, 34, of Screven, allegedly coaxed her child to burn down their Pine Circle home on July 14, with the Jesup Fire Department called in to put out the blaze, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement Monday.

“Based on the footage and interviews conducted, investigators determined that Ms. Sellers compelled her stepchild to start a fire inside the home for insurance money on two separate occasions,” Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King said.

Although it varies depending on coverage, the average insurance payout for fire and lighting claims was $77,340 in 2022, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Sellers was arrested on July 18 following a probe from the State Fire Marshal’s Office at the request of the Jesup FD, according to the GBI.

The request was made following a review of video and audio footage captured by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office on the day of the July 14 fire.

Sellers was charged with arson, insurance fraud, aggravated assault and cruelty to children. She faces a minimum of nine years in prison.

Sellers is currently being held at the Wayne County Jail.

A representative for Sellers could not be immediately reached for comment.