A woman used camping fuel to ignite multiple baby cribs inside a Walmart packed with customers on New Year’s Eve, causing an estimated $5 million in damage before sprinklers put out the flames, McHenry County prosecutors said. Police identified the suspect as Adilyn R. Monette, 21, who was arrested Dec. 31 and ordered detained after a court hearing on Friday.
Authorities said the fire broke out at the store at 1275 Lake Avenue around 7:22 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2025, prompting an evacuation as employees and shoppers fled smoke at the back of the building. The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office has charged Monette with aggravated arson knowing people were present, a Class X felony. Prosecutors told the court the store was “full of customers” when the blaze started and said surveillance video captured a suspect retrieving fuel cans from the camping aisle, dousing cribs in the infant section and setting them alight. The case is being handled by the Major Crimes Unit with support from fire investigators. No injuries were reported, but the store remained closed into the holiday weekend because of heavy smoke and damage.
According to investigators, firefighters arrived within minutes to find the building evacuating and the blaze already knocked down by the store’s automatic sprinkler system. Woodstock Fire/Rescue District personnel spent hours venting lingering smoke and checking for hot spots. Alex Vucha, a spokesperson for the district, said crews located the origin area near the rear of the store. In a criminal complaint summarized in court, prosecutors said video shows a woman taking one can of camping fuel to a cart, returning for a second can, and then pouring accelerant over multiple display cribs before using a flame to start the fire. Police used a license plate to track a suspect vehicle. Officers took Monette into custody later that night, authorities said.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese’s office petitioned to deny pretrial release, arguing Monette posed a danger to the community. Judge Lamb granted the state’s request, finding no conditions could mitigate the risk, according to the office’s summary of the ruling. The aggravated arson count alleges Monette knew or should have known people were in the store when the fire was set. Prosecutors also noted in court that Monette has a pending arson case in Colorado, where she had been on supervised release. Defense attorneys did not enter a plea to the Illinois charge at the brief hearing, and no trial date has been set. The Walmart’s pharmacy operated limited services through its drive-thru while the sales floor remained closed for cleanup, officials said.
The incident capped a tense New Year’s Eve in Woodstock. In a separate case hours later, authorities say a man attacked a gas station clerk across town in an unrelated incident that also drew a swift response. Mayor Mike Turner called both cases “heinous acts” in a weekend statement and thanked first responders and prosecutors for rapid coordination. Fire officials said the Walmart’s sprinkler system limited the fire’s spread; damage estimates in early filings ranged from six figures in structural impacts to several million dollars when inventory loss and cleanup are included. Investigators have not released a motive. They have not publicly identified the type of ignition source beyond a flame, and they did not report any injuries among customers or staff.
Records from the initial response describe a large-box retail layout with the baby department situated off central aisles near the back of the building. Crews requested specialized equipment to ventilate the big space; neighboring departments assisted. Shoppers outside described confusion and a strong smell of smoke as employees directed people to exits. Firefighters remained on scene for more than two hours, and police taped off sections of the lot as they interviewed witnesses and reviewed surveillance footage from inside the store and the parking lot. Store managers told investigators that inventory and smoke damage extended beyond the origin area into adjacent departments, complicating reopening.
Under Illinois procedure, aggravated arson is among the most serious felonies and can carry a substantial prison term if a conviction is secured. Prosecutors said they expect to present additional reports from fire investigators and store-loss teams as they prepare the case for indictment. The court scheduled Monette for a further status setting early this month; a specific date was not immediately available. If a grand jury returns an indictment, the case would move to arraignment in McHenry County Circuit Court. Officials said any updated loss figures, including structural repairs and merchandise replacement, will be filed as they are finalized with insurance providers.
Witness accounts collected by police describe a rapid evacuation from the rear of the store toward the main entrances once alarms sounded. A shopper who had been in the grocery aisles said employees ushered people away from the baby department while sprinklers rained down near the back wall. Outside, families waited in cars as engines cycled fresh air through the building. A fire captain on scene briefed crews that the sprinklers had contained the flames to displays, preventing spread to stock stacked overhead. By late evening, large fans ran at multiple doors as officers guarded the entrances and yellow tape kept the lot clear for trucks and investigators.
As of Sunday, Monette remained in custody at the county jail, and the investigation continued into the origin and cause details, including laboratory testing of recovered fuel containers. Prosecutors said they will release further updates after the next court appearance expected this week and after additional surveillance footage reviews are complete.
Author note: Last updated January 4, 2026.