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Utah woman accused of setting fire that killed her mom dies

Posted at 12:19 PM, Jun 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-28 15:07:06-04

SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah — A woman who was accused of causing her mother’s death by setting fire to her West Valley City home has died after an incident at the Salt Lake County Metro Jail.

According to a jail spokeswoman, Loralie Kathie Querbach was found in need of medical attention around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

A jail officer began CPR on Querbach and continued until emergency medical technicians arrived. Querbach was then taken to a hospital, where she died some time Tuesday afternoon.

It appears Querbach died after attempting suicide by asphyxiation, the jail spokeswoman said, and the death does not seem suspicious. The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner will verify the exact cause of death.

On the day of her death, Querbach participated in breakfast, lunch and post-lunch cleaning at the jail, and there was no indication she had requested medical or mental health assistance, the jail spokeswoman said.

Investigators from the South Salt Lake Police Department and the Salt Lake County Metro Jail are looking into the incident.

Querbach was arrested June 5 in connection with a house fire at 6946 W Bonnie Arlene Dr. in West Valley City.

Sixty-four-year-old Kathie Thomas, who was Querbach’s mother, died in the fire.

Querbach was facing charges of aggravated murder, aggravated arson and attempted aggravated murder, all first-degree felonies, in connection with the fire.