Inset: Savannah Streber (Facebook). Background: News footage of Timothy Kuhn in court (WHAM).
More than two decades after an 8-year-old girl died in a Rochester, New York, house fire, the man accused of starting the blaze is facing a new federal case after his state charges were dismissed.
Timothy Kuhn, 66, was taken into custody at his Pensacola, Florida, home Friday on a federal arson charge. Court records reviewed by Law&Crime show that a grand jury indicted Kuhn for allegedly “maliciously” setting fire to the Rochester residence on Feb. 28, 2004. Rochester ABC affiliate WHAM reported that Kuhn had previously been romantically involved with the woman who lived at the property. She was working when the fire began, while her children—including 8-year-old Savannah Streber—were at home with a babysitter. The sitter’s 11-year-old son was also there.
Shortly after midnight, the babysitter’s son noticed the fire and alerted those inside. Everyone managed to get out except Savannah, whose body was later discovered in her mother’s bedroom.
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A little more than a year after the state charges were dismissed, a federal grand jury charged Kuhn with arson involving property used in interstate commerce that resulted in a death. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, whose office serves the Western District of New York, said Kuhn will be extradited from Florida at a later date. He remains in custody.
Savannah’s family shared news of the arrest on a Facebook page created in her memory, announcing that Kuhn had been taken into custody.
The man accused in the fatal 2004 Rochester fire is now facing federal arson charges after his state case was thrown out.
