After the victim allegedly wet his pants, a 41-year-old man is accused of abusing and seriously hurting the little child he was watching, even to the point of death.
Chance Crawford, age six, was dropped off at Ernest Love’s barbershop on Thursday, August 29, following his third day of first grade, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Love took care of Chance while his mother worked the night shift as a nurse’s assistant at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Love reportedly took the youngster to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County emergency room at around 1:30 a.m. because he was unresponsive and had trouble breathing.
According to the district attorney’s office, doctors noted that a significant portion of Crawford’s buttocks were gone, “leaving raw, gaping wounds.” A subdural haematoma, significant brain oedema, and “other injuries consistent with violent shaking” were apparently observed by the medical staff as well. Prosecutors said the victim had a fractured shoulder and was recovering.
Several days after his injuries, on Tuesday, September 3, Crawford passed away.
Surveillance footage was retrieved by investigators, and it seems to show Love walking into his barbershop with a big piece of raw timber and a “reluctant” Crawford following him. Authorities claim that Love struck the child with the timber and then sprayed hydrogen peroxide on his open wounds after Crawford had urinated in his clothes at a nearby park. The child is then accused of being forced to perform push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks by Love. Love allegedly took Crawford to the hospital room after he passed out rather than dialling 911.
The district attorney’s office declared on September 4 that Love had been charged with one count each of murder, torture, and child abuse resulting in death. If found guilty of all charges, he may receive a maximum sentence of 32 years to life plus an extra five years.
Love is being imprisoned without bail despite entering a not-guilty plea.
