Woman pleads not guilty to murder in fatal South Boston blaze

July 9, 2008 02:57 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By Brian R. Ballou, Globe Staff

The woman accused of setting a blaze that killed two children in South Boston last April pleaded not guilty today in Suffolk Superior Court to two murder charges.

Sophia and Acia Johnson

"This is both a careless and cowardly act,'' Assistant District Attorney David Fredette said during the arraignment of Nicole Chuminski of South Boston. Acia Johnson, 14, and Sophia Johnson, 2, were both killed by the fire that quickly tore through their W. Sixth Street home.

For most of the 30-minute proceeding, the defendant showed no emotion, but as she was ushered out of the courtroom, she glanced at her sister and a friend and began sobbing.

Law enforcement authorities say Chuminski, 25, had an ongoing relationship with Anna Reisopoulos, 34, the mother of the two girls. The two women reportedly got into a heated argument the day before the April 6 blaze after Chuminski allegedly accused Reisopoulos of stealing a relative's wallet during a wedding.

The defendant's attorney, William M. White Jr., entered a plea of not guilty on his client's behalf, and argued that Chuminski actually came to Reisopoulos's aid after several people at the wedding became enraged over the alleged theft.

"Nicole helped her at the wedding,'' White said.

White added that he is seeking to find out more from prosecutors about the accelerant that was allegedly found at the crime scene and on Chuminski's clothing. He said he believes it is acetone. "That is a common substance that is found in many household products,'' he said outside the courtroom.

Chuminski's bail was continued at $1 million cash and a pretrial conference was scheduled for Aug. 26.

Reisopoulos was allegedly not home when the fire broke out.

The Globe reported last month that despite being neglected by her parents and overlooked by the state, Acia Johnson was making a life for herself and her beloved baby sister, until the fire. The two girls died together in a bedroom closet seeking refuge from the flames.