Flossmoor woman, 89, dies after house fire set by daughter

An 89-year-old Flossmoor woman has died after being hospitalized following a house fire Nov. 7 that the police say was set by her daughter.

Josephine Tropp died Friday at Franciscan St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, which did an autopsy Saturday and ruled her death was a homicide, the result of smoke inhalation.

Her daughter, Denise M. Tropp, 64, initially was charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated arson, according to police in the south suburb, who said she set the fire after arguing with the older woman.

The Cook County state’s attorney’s office is conferring with police about upgrading the charges against the daughter, who’s being held without bail at the Cook County Jail.