Pregnant Woman Set On Fire By Boyfriend Had Protective Order Against Him: Reports

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, MD — A pregnant woman set on fire by her boyfriend in Capitol Heights filed for at least one protective order against him in the past year, according to reports.

Laquinn Phillips, 34, of Southeast D.C. is accused of dousing Andrea Grinage, 30, with gasoline when she was in the bathtub in her Capitol Heights apartment Sept. 6. Grinage suffered from severe burns and was forced to give birth to her baby seven weeks early, police said.

According to NBCWashington, Grinage filed a protective order against Phillips, and said he sent her threatening text messages and told her not to have the baby.

Court records obtained by NBCWashington show that a temporary no-contact order was granted against Phillips on April 13, 2017. The order was dismissed after the unnamed petitioner did not show up in court.

Officers were called to the home in the 1400 block of Elkwood Ln. at about 11:47 a.m. Sept. 6 for the report of a fire and possible arson.

See Also:

• Pregnant Woman Set On Fire, Suspect Arrested: Police
• Pregnant Woman Set On Fire In Prince George's County: Police
• Arson, Domestic Violence Incident In Capitol Heights Leaves 1 Critically Injured: Police

Police said Grinage was able to tell officers that Phillips was her boyfriend and that he was on the way to D.C. to "do more harm to a relative of hers," Prince George's County police spokesperson Jennifer Donelan said in the press conference.

Based on that information and additional investigation, detectives identified Phillips as the suspect. Upon speaking with a Prince George's County detective, Phillips agreed to turn himself in, police said. Phillips, a personal trainer who was recently accepted to be a D.C. firefighter, was arrested outside of his home in D.C. a short time later.

Phillips is charged with attempted first and second degree murder, arson, assault and several additional related charges.

NBCWashington reports Phillips cried during his court date Sept. 13, and his mother, Pamela Phillips, said: "This is not my son. My son could not have done a heinous crime like this. He’s being portrayed as this monster."

"We’ve seen it enough to know, again, that even a person who has never been involved will make an irrational decision based on a temporary emotion," Prince George's County State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks said.

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Photo: Prince George's County Police Department