Charge Bound To Grand Jury In Burning Of Child
posted May 16, 2008
General Sessions Court Judge Ron Durby chided a mother on Friday for leaving her four children with a mentally disabled man - one of whom severely burned herself.
Judge Durby told Erica Springs, "To leave these children completely unattended is not going to be tolerated."
He bound a case of reckless endangerment to the Grand Jury and had Ms. Springs taken into custody on a $5,000 bond.
Judge Durby said the 28-year-old mother's demeanor throughout the case "has been very casual."
Investigators said Ms. Springs showed no emotion when she was told about terrible burns to her oldest daughter, six-year-old Dynasty Nicole McMillian on Jan. 19 in an apartment at Harriet Tubman Development.
Fire Investigator Anthony Moore said Ms. Springs' four children along with four children belonging to Amanda Perry had been left with Jimmy Carr, who receives disability payments after falling out of a second-story window onto his head.
The two women and a boyfriend and all the children had been staying with Mr. Carr for two weeks, it was stated.
The women were gone that morning to size a ring at a jewelry store, it was stated.
Mr. Carr said Dynasty came running in to him and woke him up, hollering that she had caught fire.
He said they made their way to a neighbor's house and had the neighbor call 911.
Investigator Moore said he believes Dynasty was trying to warm up a can of Ravioli when her shirt caught fire. He said her shirt apparently touched the burner as she reached to turn the stove off.
He said tests showed some type of flammable liquid on the shirt. He said he did not know how that could have gotten on the shirt.
The witness said officers tried to locate Ms. Springs after the incident and finally found her at her sister's house. He said they wanted her to be with her daughter before she was flown to a burn facility in Augusta, Ga., but she later could not be found at her sister's.
He said Dynasty has undergone numerous surgeries and faces many more as she grows older. He said she has extensive burns on the upper portion of her body.
He said her ears were burned off and she was fitted with cadaver ears. The fire burned down around her mouth.
He said she now walks slowly and stiffly and is in foster care.
Another witness said Ms. Springs does not have custody of the other three children.
Cresiana Daniels, who is a guardian for Jimmy Carr, said his brother, Larry Paul, formerly lived with him. But he said he was forced out when all the others moved in.
She said Mr. Carr has limited abilities, saying, "I wouldn't leave my children with him. He's not capable of watching children."
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