Lesbian Couple Needs Help After Arson

Carol Ann and Laura Stutte are looking for help after arson destroyed their Tennessee home. The couple were out of town celebrating their 16th anniversary last September, only to return home to their house burned to the ground and their free-standing garage vandalized with the word "queers" spray-painted across it.

Making matters worse, staff members of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation who were sent to the scene several days after the fire made jokes and left their investigation dog in the truck, according to GetEqual. Now the women are living in an undisclosed location, and only $610.18 has been offered to them by the American National Property and Casualty Company to cover a cumulative $361,000 in property damages and personal item loss.

Their neighbor Janice Millsaps, who the Stuttes believe is involved in setting their home ablaze last year, has not been arrested and has been seen on their property since the fire. The couple are suing their neighbor for damages, but in the meantime, they have turned to GetEqual to make sure the insurance company assists them. The organization is asking people to sign a petition that will be sent to American National Property and Casualty Company's executive staff and every agent in the state of Tennessee. They are also asking for people to call the insurer's customer service hotline to address the situation, and the organizers of the Knoxville Pride Festival are raising $7,000 to get the couple's daughter a new insulin pump.

Watch Carol Ann Stutte share her story below: