California: A barber from California has been charged with the brutal torture and murder of 6-year-old Chance Crawford after allegedly beating the child with a piece of wood for wetting his pants.
Barber Charged in Brutal Killing of Young Boy
Ernest Lamar Love, 41, is facing charges of murder, torture, and child abuse resulting in death. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts, according to reports from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
The tragic incident occurred on August 29, when Love was entrusted to care for Chance while the boy’s mother worked her night shift at a hospital. Surveillance footage shows Love entering his barber shop in Placentia, California, carrying a large piece of raw lumber, with the reluctant young boy following behind.
Fatal Night of Abuse
According to prosecutors, Love became enraged when Chance wet his pants while they were at a park earlier that day. Instead of responding with care, Love allegedly dragged the child to his barber shop and subjected him to hours of brutal punishment. Love is accused of repeatedly beating the first-grader with the lumber, causing severe injuries. In addition to the beating, prosecutors say he poured hydrogen peroxide on the boy’s open wounds, then forced him to perform push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks until the child collapsed.
Three hours after entering the shop, Love carried an unconscious and struggling Chance into a hospital emergency room around 1:30 a.m. Doctors were horrified to find the boy’s body covered in injuries, including extreme brain swelling, subdural hematoma, a fractured shoulder blade, and exposed flesh from his buttocks. The injuries indicated violent shaking and severe physical trauma. Chance remained in critical condition for several days before tragically succumbing to his injuries on September 3.
Community and Family Devastated
Chance’s family is now grappling with the unimaginable loss of a bright and happy child. His father, Vance Crawford, expressed his anguish, saying, “The more and more that I explain what happened, the more angry I feel. He’s six years old. I wanted to see my son graduate.” Carmen Hill, Chance’s great-aunt, also expressed outrage, calling Love a “monster” for inflicting such horrific abuse. “That kid was sweet. What kind of monster are you?” she said. The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses and is seeking justice for Chance. “This is killing us slowly because no child deserves to get treated like this,” said Aisha Herrell, the boy’s cousin.
Prosecutors Vow Justice
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer expressed profound sadness over the case and vowed to seek justice for the young boy. “Words do not exist to describe the absolute terror this little boy was forced to endure – all at the hands of someone who was supposed to be protecting him,” Spitzer said in a statement. He added, “Now we as prosecutors will do everything we can to pursue justice for little Chance and be his protectors in death that he failed to have in life.” Love remains in custody without bond and faces a potential life sentence, plus an additional five years if convicted on all charges.
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