Lynn woman charged with lighting man on fire

LYNN – A seemingly psychotic Lynn woman was arrested for attempted murder Tuesday after she lit a man on fire inside her Parkland Avenue apartment, police said.Anna Laverty, 46, of 12 Parkland Ave. #12, was arrested and charged with assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to maim and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon shortly after 7 p.m. She is currently being held in jail without bail pending an April 14 dangerousness hearing at Lynn District Court.Police responded to Laverty’s apartment on a report of a domestic dispute and found the victim, identified in a police report as David Richardson, who said his clothes and hair had been lit on fire during an argument.Richardson, who lives with Laverty, said he got into a verbal argument with her because he didn’t want a drug dealer to come over the house.Police say the incident suddenly escalated when Laverty grabbed a can of lighter fluid and squirted it on Richardson’s hair and shirt.Richardson asked Laverty, “What are you doing?” before Laverty allegedly grabbed a lighter from a living room coffee table and lit Richardson’s shirt and hair on fire, according to police.Richardson was able to remove the ignited shirt and stomp it on the ground. He refused medical treatment.Police noted in a report that their observation of the burned shirt and singed hair led them to believe Richardson’s story and take Laverty into custody.Police said Laverty was highly intoxicated but cooperated with officers.