Social Media Personalities Arrested, Charged with Arson in West Virginia

A pair of social media personalities, Dakota Harper, 21, and Felicity Eatmon, 22, have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit arson and first-degree arson. The charges stem from a fire that erupted Sunday night, destroying an abandoned home and causing over $10,000 in damage to a nearby church in Charleston, West Virginia.

Investigators allege that surveillance video captured Eatmon handing Harper a lit piece of paper before placing it inside the home on Maryland Avenue. The couple were reportedly seen partially entering the property as the fire grew before leaving the area, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court.

Harper and Eatmon, who have amassed over 26,000 followers on TikTok with videos documenting their daily lives, are being held on a $10,000 cash bond at the South-Central Regional Jail. The Canaan United Methodist Church was the closest structure to the burning home and sustained significant damage.

Brian Hunt, a Republican candidate for Charleston Mayor, commented on the incident, linking it to broader issues within the city. "The fire that destroyed an abandoned home highlights two challenges our city can no longer ignore: dangerous vacant properties and the growing homelessness crisis," Hunt stated in a press release, noting the couple's presence within the local homeless community.

Court documents indicate that Harper and Eatmon were previously arrested in June on misdemeanor charges of property damage and conspiracy.

If convicted, the couple could face up to 20 years in prison for the first-degree arson charge and 25 years for the felony conspiracy charge. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 5 with Judge Leslie Grace presiding.