A 41-year-old man from Orange County has been charged with murder and torture in the death of a 6-year-old boy he was babysitting, allegedly beating him to death with a piece of lumber late last month.
The tragic and horrifying incident occurred on Aug. 29 after the victim, identified as Chance Crawford, completed his third day of first grade and was dropped off at Ernest Lamar Love’s barbershop in Placentia around 6:30 p.m.
Prosecutors said Love was babysitting the child while the boy’s mother worked the night shift as a nurse’s assistant at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
In a news release, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said Love grew violent with the child after he reportedly urinated in his pants at a local park.
Authorities said security cameras captured the 41-year-old entering his barbershop at around 11 p.m. with a “large piece of raw lumber with a reluctant Chance following behind him.”
“Love is accused of beating the first grader with the piece of lumber, then pouring hydrogen peroxide on the open wounds before forcing the boy to do push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks,” the release detailed.
When Chance collapsed, Love is then accused of carrying him into the emergency room at Children’s Hospital of Orange County at around 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 30 instead of calling 911 for help.
“Doctors at CHOC discovered that much of Chance’s flesh was missing from his buttocks, leaving raw, gaping wounds, along with subdural hematoma, extreme brain swelling, and other injuries consistent with violent shaking,” prosecutors said. “The little boy also had a healing fracture on his shoulder blade.”
The 6-year-old succumbed to his injuries and died on Sept. 3. A GoFundMe has been organized to help his family cover the cost of funeral expenses.
“While his new classmates were celebrating the end of the first week of first grade, Chance’s seat in his classroom was empty as he fought for his life in a hospital bed,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “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, not torturing him to death.”
Love, who pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail, has been charged with a felony count of murder, a felony count of torture and a felony count of child abuse causing death.
If convicted as charged, the 41-year-old faces a maximum sentence of 32 years to life in prison.