Police said a dispute involving juveniles preceded the fire, which destroyed supplies for a baby due within days.
CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA — Three juveniles were arrested after police said a lit firework was thrown through a bedroom window and started a fire that destroyed a baby’s nursery Tuesday evening in Citrus Heights.
The fire has left an expectant family replacing baby supplies less than two weeks before a due date and has moved a neighborhood dispute into a criminal investigation. Citrus Heights police said the juveniles were arrested on suspicion of arson after officers linked them to a fire at a home near Antelope Road and Tupelo Drive.
Officers were called just before 7 p.m. Tuesday to reports of a house fire in the neighborhood, police said. When they arrived, officers learned that a dispute had taken place between a juvenile at the home and other juveniles who were not there when police first got to the scene. Investigators said some residents had left the house after the dispute. The suspects later returned and used fireworks to ignite the fire, police said. Leslie Morgan, who is expecting a son, said she was not home when the fire began and learned something was wrong from a security camera alert. “It was devastating,” Morgan said. “I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to do something like that.”
Anthony Cadena, the baby’s father, was the only family member at the home when smoke appeared, according to the family. He used a hose outside the house to spray water through the window before Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews arrived. The family later reviewed security video and said it showed two teens lighting a firework and throwing it into the bedroom. Morgan said she recognized the teens and said they had been involved in problems with her daughter before the fire. Police have not released the names of the juveniles because of their ages. Officials also have not released their exact ages or said whether any of the arrested juveniles live in the same neighborhood.
The room had been set up as a nursery for Morgan and Cadena’s son, Noah, who is due within days. The family said the crib, blankets and other baby items were destroyed or left unsafe by smoke, fire and debris. Two days after the fire, the room had been gutted, with damaged belongings piled outside the home. Morgan said the loss was especially hard because many of the items had been newly bought or given to the family as gifts. The fire happened days before the Fourth of July, when local officials across the Sacramento region were warning about fireworks risks and increased enforcement tied to illegal fireworks.
Citrus Heights police said three juveniles were arrested after officers found the people believed to be involved in the earlier dispute and confirmed their identities with the victims. CBS Sacramento reported that the charges tied to the case include multiple felonies, including aggravated arson, arson, burglary and conspiracy. Police have described the arrests as part of an ongoing investigation, and juvenile court records are generally handled differently from adult criminal cases. Officials have not said whether prosecutors have filed formal petitions or when the juveniles may next appear in court. Investigators also have not said whether more arrests are possible.
The fire drew attention from neighbors and local residents after the family shared what happened online. Cadena said the response from the community had been strong as the family worked through the damage. “All the people reaching out, it’s a tremendous blessing,” Cadena said. “It brings love to my heart that people are out there and willing to help.” A family friend also began rallying support for the family after the nursery was damaged. Police have not reported any physical injuries from the fire, but the family said the emotional and financial strain came at one of the most important moments in their lives.
The case remains under investigation by Citrus Heights police. As of Friday, July 3, officials had announced three juvenile arrests but had not released the suspects’ names, ages or a full court schedule.
Author note: Last updated July 3, 2026.