Evil arsonist Kristen
Kristen (Brenda Barrie) is the main villainess from "What Went Wrong," episode 8.06 of Chicago Fire (airdate October 30, 2019).
Background[]
Kristen is the wife of Jim, though her backstory revealed that she had issues with her mother because of her husband's occupation as a plumber. Despite this, she and Jim were happy together. At some point, Kristen and Jim welcomed a son, Trevor. Her mother came to stay with them, though her presence in the house was unbearable to her and Jim while she was close to her grandson.
Tragic Accident[]
Kristen confessing to starting the fire that killed her mother.
Kristen desired to be free of her mother to inherit her food stamp collection worth thousands, feeling her family was more deserving it. She then researched a series of fires, where victims never woke up and noticing her mother sleeping, decided to put her plan in action. She saw Jim sent their son away before she set most of the home on fire in attempt to kill her mother, thinking the smoke would overwhelm her.
Kristen and Jim escaped, just as Firehouse 51 arrived and Kristen feigned concern for her mother who was napping inside. The firefighters went around back, where they noticed Trevor trying to run in to save his grandmother, but the team sent him away for his safety. Kristen's mother was found alive and taken to a hospital but died of smoker inhalation.
Firehouse 51 noticed discrepancies with the fire and going through reports of similar fires, deduced someone in the house researched the fire in a plot. They suspect Jim, due to how his mother-in-law spoke ill of him when she was found and thinking he was trying to cash in her money.
Getting Officer Adam Ruzek for help, they confront the couple while telling them not only did Jim supposedly kill his mother-in-law that he endangered his son's life in the process as he tried to save his grandmother. Kristen watched as Jim asserts his innocence, declaring he'd never do such a thing and argues about the situation. It was during Ruzek's threat to arrest Jim and place Trevor in foster care, does a frantic Kristen finally confess to being the one who did it, to everyone's shock. Kristen takes full responsibility for the fire while begging the police and firefighters not to take Trevor from Jim, who asks what she's saying.
Arrest[]
A crying Kristen is taken into custody.
In front of the gathered parties, Kristen apologizes while a horrified Jim asks how she could do such a thing to her own mother, and she reveals her research of the fires and thought her napping mother would go quickly with the smoke overwhelming her. She voiced she didn't count on surviving long or Trevor returning early and says the money should go to making their lives better. Her words leave Jim distraught and speechless at how his son was in danger and that Kristen stooped so low as to murder. Following this statement, the now remorseful villainess was escorted away by Ruzek to the precinct for questioning while Kristen frantically begged her devastated husband for forgiveness, but he was unable to look at her.
Kristen was charged with arson, murder, and child endangerment.