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Home Detention Ordered For Boy In Kohl's Fire Case

CORAL SPRINGS (CBSMiami) –A Coconut Creek boy was ordered into home detention Friday after he allegedly set a fire at a South Florida Kohl's department store.

The 11-year-old boy appeared in juvenile court Friday and was also ordered to wear an ankle bracelet. He is only allowed to leave his home for school, church and counseling sessions and must return home directly after.

According to Coral Springs police spokesman Lt. Joe McHugh, the 11-year-old boy was arrested for setting a fire at the Kohl's store in the 9000 block of West Atlantic Boulevard. He was found outside the store after the fire.

McHugh said not only will the boy be charged with setting Thursday's fire, he will also be charged with setting another Kohl's fire on January 9th. That fire cost the store approximately $400,000 in damages and police said they have surveillance video of him.

According to police, the store suffered $600,000 of fire and water damage from the West Atlantic Blvd. fire.

The judge ordered home detention because the boy has no priors, and he will be getting counseling and medication for his undisclosed diagnosis, CBS4's Joan Murray reported.

McHugh is facing first degree felony charges and police are trying to find out why he allegedly targeted the store.

He spent Thursday at the Juvenile Assessment Center in Fort Lauderdale.

On Thursday, Vicki Shamion, Kohl's Senior Vice President, Public and Community Relations issued a statement saying, "The store was evacuated and no injuries have been reported. The store is currently closed. We are assessing damage and determining when the store will be open for customers. A police investigation is underway into this matter. We are cooperating with the authorities leading the investigation and are referring all media inquiries to police."

As of Friday, however, the store reopened.

The boy was also ordered not to visit the Coral Square Mall or Kohl's.

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