A Lincolnshire woman who intentionally set her home on fire in 2021 to harm her husband while he was sleeping was sentenced to 36 months of periodic imprisonment in Lake County Court Thursday, court records show.
Jisha Kurian, 35, of Lincolnshire, was also sentenced to 48 months of probation, 200 hours of public service and ordered to not consume alcohol, drugs or be anywhere where alcohol is sold, court records show.
While Kurian was officially sentenced to periodic imprisonment, defendants are also allowed to serve the sentence on electronic home monitoring.
The sentencing came after Kurian pleaded guilty to a single count of attempted aggravated arson in Lake County Court in early May, court records show.
Charges of attempted murder and aggravated arson with known people present – both class X felonies – were dropped in exchange for the plea deal.
Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Sara Avalos said prosecutors requested prison time at Kurian’s sentencing Thursday, but said the judge sentenced her to home confinement and probation.
“While we respectfully disagree with the Judge’s sentence, we are pleased the victim has years of protection with this guilty plea,” Avalos said.
Avalos added in an email the “office took this case incredibly seriously, assigning two experienced prosecutors who maintained constant communication with the victim.”
She added the decision to reduce the charge to a class one felony was made in direct consultation with the victim.
Kurian was charged after police determined she intentionally set her Lincolnshire home ablaze to injure her husband while he was sleeping inside, authorities said.
The Lincolnshire Police Department and Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District responded to the 200 block of Dover Circle in Lincolnshire for a report of a house fire at around 1 p.m. on July 16, 2021, authorities said.
The fire protection district and other nearby fire departments extinguished the fire. A person inside the residence was able to escape without injuries, authorities said.
The cause of the fire was initially undetermined but fire investigators learned in September 2021 the fire may have been intentionally set.
The case was turned over to the Lincolnshire Police Department where detectives determined Kurian intentionally ignited the fire in the residence with the intent to harm her husband, police said.
Kurian turned herself in to the Lincolnshire Police Department after a warrant was obtained for her arrest for aggravated arson in September of 2022.
During her 2022 bond hearing, Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak questioned why Kurian was only initially charged with aggravated arson and not attempted murder because allegations showed Kurian started the fire while knowing her husband was asleep in order to “take him out.”
The charges were upgraded to include attempted murder at a later time.
Kurian had been free from Lake County Jail since her arrest after posting the required 10 percent of her $1 million bail.