Teen Arrested After Setting Fire in Bedroom of Judge Rotenberg Home on Park St. in Stoughton

A patient at a Judge Rotenberg home on Park St. in Stoughton was arrested after allegedly setting a fire in a bedroom there late Thursday afternoon.

The fire was relatively small, caused a minimal amount of damage and resulted in no injuries, Stoughton Fire Captain Scott Breen said.

Redell Culler, 17, was charged with arson of a dwelling; vandalizing property; and two counts of assault and battery, according to the Stoughton Police log.

The Stoughton Fire and Police Departments both responded to the incident, which occurred shortly before 4 p.m. on October 4 at the facility located at 1115 Park St.

Breen said the incident is "still an active investigation" but a patient appears to have intentionally started the fire.

There are seven staff members and seven patients at the Park St. home, although only five patients were present at the time of the fire, according to Breen.

When the fire department arrived, Breen said there was light smoke showing and there were "multiple interactions" between residents and staff members on the front lawn.

The fire was contained to a closet in a bedroom located in the front corner of the house. Breen said there were not a lot of contents to be burned in the closet other than a small amount of clothing and some blankets.

Police recently responded to this same property after a teenaged patient at the home incited a riot there on August 4.

According to an August 6 About Town Article:

The Judge Rotenberg Center, founded by Dr. Matthew Israel, is a Canton-based school for special-needs children with developmental, emotional or behavior disorders. It is headquartered at 240 Turnpike Street in Canton. It has been in the spotlight over the past decade for the controversial shock-therapy treatments practiced at the facility. The Center owns group homes in local communities, including the one on Park Street in Stoughton.