Mother and daughter dead after neighbour allegedly stalked them

A mother and her daughter have been killed in their Ohio home, following a string of complaints made against a neighbour who was allegedly stalking them.

Rebecca Pletnewski, 41, was stabbed to death in her home on November 20 before it was set on fire. Firefighters managed to pull 8-year-old daughter Olivia Schneider from the blaze but she died due to smoke inhalation.

For months, Pletnewski had confided in friends and family about unwanted advances from 27-year-old neighbour Dominique Swopes.

Swopes has been charged with two counts each of aggravated murder and aggravated arson, according to People.

Police Chief Fred Bittner told FOX News, "He became a subject of interest that day because what family and friends had told us, that Rebecca had warned them or told them of instances of potentially stalking by the neighbour.

"He just apparently had left her notes occasionally or talked to her outside. There were other advancements made through maybe social media, and she told him she didn't want anything to do with him, she had a boyfriend."

Pletnewski, who worked as an intensive care nurse, leaves behind a 4-year-old daughter, Vivienne. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Vivienne and the rest of the family.