Girl lit fire when dad said no

Danui Li. Photo / Doug Sherring

A troubled teenager has been convicted of setting fire to her bedroom after her father refused to give her money.

Danrui Li, 18, pleaded guilty to intentionally damaging her bedroom curtains when she appeared in the Manukau District Court this week.

Her father suffered burns to his hands putting out the fire in Bucklands Beach on February 8.

The family, including her two younger siblings, were in the house at the time.

It is understood the girl had demanded $2000 from her father.

Neighbour Fotu Waqabaca barged into the house after he saw flames.

At the time, he said Li was standing in the hallway with her head down and back to the wall while the others were "running around in a panic".

Waqabaca said: "The boy, about 9 to 11 years old, told me 'it was my big sister, the last thing I saw was her holding a match'."

The girl's mother, who declined to be named, said outside court her daughter and husband had a disagreement over money.

Her daughter had not been living at home since the fire.

"She is like any teenager.

"She didn't expect the consequences. She did it impulsively."

Li was remanded for sentencing on May 13.