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Woman accused of setting artwork on fire behind strip mall
A woman is behind bars in Brevard County after allegedly setting a notebook on fire behind a local strip mall and fleeing the scene, putting several small businesses in immediate danger.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A woman is behind bars in Brevard County after allegedly setting a notebook on fire behind a local strip mall and fleeing the scene, putting several small businesses in immediate danger.
The incident unfolded on private property right behind a plaza along State Road A1A in Cape Canaveral and was caught on surveillance camera.
What happened?
The backstory:
Surveillance video shows a woman sitting on artificial turf behind the building, removing items from a bag and pulling out a lighter before setting papers on fire and leaving the area.
Deputies with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office reviewed the video footage to piece together how the fire started.
"Saw her take some papers out, eventually move off camera, and with a lighter in the same area they found the fire," said Tod Goodyear, Public Information Officer for the Brevard County Sheriff's Office.
The fire left behind visible charring on a wooden pallet where the suspect allegedly abandoned the burning papers and personal property.
Entrepreneur extinguishes flames
The fire occurred just feet away from Escape Cocoa Beach, a local business filled with custom-made items.
"This whole plaza could have been gone," said Autumn Defloria, owner of Escape Cocoa Beach. "Every little thing is unique that we bring here."
Disaster was averted when Defloria's husband arrived to open the business and noticed a suspicious odor.
Goodyear noted that he smelled "what he thought was smoke," prompting him to investigate immediately.
His quick actions prevented the fire from spreading through the strip mall.
"Luckily, caught this fire very early," Goodyear said, noting that it was "a bad decision on her part."
Defloria emphasized how disastrous a larger fire would have been for the local business community, stating, "It affects us all."
Suspect behind bars
Law enforcement quickly identified and located the suspect as Cassandra Brennan.
"The local police knew her, and they were able to pick her up fairly quickly," Defloria said.
According to arrest records, Brennan confessed to setting the fire intentionally to destroy her artwork.
Brennan allegedly told deputies she decided "...to light the drawings on fire so no one could read them. After igniting the fire, Ms. Brennan stated that she did not see any flames, only saw smoke, so she left."
What's next:
Brennan was arrested and transported to the Brevard County Jail on an arson charge. Since her arrest, prosecutors have changed her charge to criminal mischief. Authorities noted she has a criminal history dating back to 2018 involving drug, trespass, and battery charges. She remains behind bars for the new case.
The Source: FOX 35 Reporter Esther Bower saw the arrest and reached out to BCSO for information. She interviewed BCSO via zoom on Aug. 20, 2026. She read the charging docs. She visited the small business on Aug. 20, 2026.