California BARBER CHARGED WITH MURDER After Allegedly BEATING 6-YEAR-OLD BOY TO DEATH With Lumber
After the 6-year-old child he was babysitting peed his trousers at the park, a 41-year-old barber in California allegedly became so enraged that he tortured and beat the boy to death with a “large piece of raw lumber.”
Ernest Lamar Love is currently being charged with murder, cruelty, and child abuse in the death of Chance Crawford in Placentia, which is located approximately 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Chance’s mother dropped him off at Love’s barbershop around 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 29 before embarking on her nocturnal shift as a nurse’s assistant at St. Joseph’s Hospital, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Love reportedly transported a battered and scarcely breathing Chance to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County approximately seven hours later.
According to a press release from prosecutors, “Doctors at CHOC discovered that much of Chance’s flesh was missing from his buttocks, leaving raw, gaping wounds, as well as subdural hematoma, extreme brain swelling, and other injuries consistent with violent shaking.”
Chance was in critical condition at the hospital before passing away on Tuesday.
The alleged beating was documented on video surveillance. According to prosecutors, the footage depicted Love entering the barbershop with a “substantial piece of raw lumber” and a “reluctant Chance” trailing behind him.
The press release claimed that Love was accused of striking the first grader with a piece of lumber, followed by the application of hydrogen peroxide to the exposed wounds. The boy was then compelled to perform push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks.
Subsequently, he transported Chance to the hospital emergency room rather than dialing 911 when the child collapsed. Love may be sentenced to 32 years to life in prison if convicted. He is currently being held without parole at the Orange County Jail.
In a statement, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer stated that prosecutors would guarantee that Chance receives justice.
“While his new classmates were celebrating the conclusion of the first week of first grade, Chance was battling for his life in a hospital bed, leaving his seat in his classroom vacant,” he stated. “There are no words to adequately convey the utter terror that this young boy was compelled to endure, all at the hands of an individual who was supposed to be his protector, not his tormentor.”
Chance was described as a “sweet little boy with a beautiful smile” who enjoyed watching Sesame Street and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in two GoFundMe accounts that were established by friends and family.
“He was a brilliant artist, inquisitive, and intelligent.” “Chance began to create illustrations of his preferred Disney character, Mickey Mouse, which appeared to be derived from a Disney film,” the fundraiser stated. “He was an exceptionally talented child who had an abundance of life ahead of him.” We are devastated by the passing of our radiant, attractive, sweet, and kind star. Our family will never recover from the loss, and the anguish is unbearable. We were tragically bereaved of a charming young child.
Love has entered a plea of not guilty as per Law&crime.
