The Office of the State Fire Marshal charged a juvenile after determining he was responsible for intentionally setting a fire inside a bathroom trash container at Mattawoman Middle School in Waldorf.
Thursday, February 5, 2026, around 8:25 a.m., police and firefighters responded to the school due to a trashcan set on fire.
A short time later, Deputy State Fire Marshals were requested to assist the Charles County Sheriff’s Office following the reports of a fire inside the school.
Investigators conducted an origin and cause examination and determined the fire originated inside a bathroom trash can. The fire was contained to the container and did not extend beyond it or cause damage to any structural components of the school. The fire was extinguished by school staff, and no injuries were reported.
A Charles County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer and school administrators reviewed security camera footage and identified a 14-year-old male juvenile as the suspect. The juvenile later admitted to setting the fire.
During the investigation, it was also determined that the juvenile had a water bottle containing lighter fluid, a water bottle containing gasoline, and a lighter.
In collaboration with the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services and the Charles County Teen Court Coordinator, the juvenile was charged with Malicious Burning Under $1,000 and was later released to his mother.
“Schools are meant to be safe places for learning, and fire has no place inside a school building,” said Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray. “The quick actions of school staff made all the difference in preventing this from becoming a much more serious emergency and helped keep students and staff safe.”
