Photo: PEDRO PARDO/AFP/Getty Images
Virginia Roque-Fermin, 41, faces one count of arson causing significant damage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaineslocated in Cook County, Illinois.
The Arlington Heights woman appeared in Cook County Bail Court on the felony charge, accompanied by her lawyer and mentioning twice at a court hearing “I don’t believe in the Virgin of Guadalupe” to Roque- Fermin was set a bond of $200,000.
At the same time, authorities released surveillance video from Cerrito del Tepeyac in Des Plaines, where the moment in which the suspect lights the place was captured, to later load and throw several objects into the fire.
According to the police, officers responding to the report of a fire saw Roque-Fermin quickly move away from the flames that they burned a part of the sanctuary known as the Chapel of the Risen Christ. Officers also observed soot on the front of her clothing and detained her for further investigation.
Although the Fire Department controlled the fire, the flames damaged the statue located in the chapel, as well as sacred art and the area around it, so the authorities will keep the sanctuary open, but with no access to the damaged area.
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines is one of the most popular during the celebrations of the Virgin of Guadalupe in the United States Celebrated in December, every year thousands of faithful walk several miles on a pilgrimage to pay homage to the symbol of Catholicism, so this incident shocked the community.
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