Woman accused of killing son, burning home held on bail

MERIDEN, Conn. (AP) — A woman accused of suffocating her 8-year-old son before using tiki torch oil to set her Connecticut home on fire has been ordered held on $1 million bond.

Karin Ziolkowski was arraigned Wednesday in Meriden on charges of murder and second-degree arson. Ziolkowski had been brought back to Connecticut from North Carolina, where she was arrested earlier this month.

The woman and her son, Elijah, were pulled from the burning home in November 2016. Authorities say the boy died of both homicidal asphyxia and a heavy dose of an antihistamine— commonly found in Benadryl —before the fire was set at their Meriden home. The antihistamine was also found in Ziolkowski’s blood.

Investigators determined two fires were set in the home.

It’s unclear whether Ziolkowski is being represented by an attorney.