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Arson case continues for Virginia Beach mom who fled the state after house fire

Posted at 5:26 AM, Jun 29, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-29 08:49:13-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A mother who disappeared for three days after a house fire in January was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday morning. However, the hearing was continued until August 3.

Monica Lamping - charged with arson

This story quickly gained national attention after a January fire destroyed Monica Lamping's home in Virginia Beach, but she and her two young children were not home and nowhere to be found for several days.

Officials even described their disappearance as suspicious and filed an 'endangered person's report for the missing family.

The mom and two children were found several days after the fire in North Carolina, safe and sound. Once back in the Commonwealth, Lamping was charged with arson for the fire that destroyed her home.

Lamping had a roommate and the fire killed the roommate's cat and dog. News 3 spoke to the roommate, Courtney Bullock at Lamping's bond hearing. "I don't understand how you can like be that nice and sweet and really do a whole 180, but I really want justice. I don't want her to get away with it," said Bullock.

Prosecutors in the case argue Lamping's custody issues over her 7-year-old son may have led to the fire and disappearance.

In April, Lamping was released on bond as long as she stayed with her parents, continued mental health treatment and wore a GPS tracking device.

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