Girl, chained to bed, dies in fire

thenews@couriernews.com ^ | November 12, 2003 | Sean Ingram

[carlo3b]

Girl, chained to bed, dies in fire

By Sean Ingram
thenews@couriernews.com
Less than 24 hours after two parents lose their home and 10-year-old daughter in a Monday morning fire, Johnson County authorities arrested the mother and father Monday night after it appeared the dead girl was chained to her bed.

The parents could appear at a bond hearing possibly today in Johnson County Circuit Court in Clarksville.
Sheriff Wesley Kendrick said Tuesday night the parents — whose ages range from late 20s to early 30s — face possible manslaughter charges to come at a later date from the 5th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Their arrest came Monday around 7 p.m. following the first of two full days of an investigation into the death of Molly Holt, 10, by local and state authorities that have included medical examiners from the State Crime Laboratory in Little Rock as well as University of Arkansas-Fayetteville investigators with expertise in anthropology.

Kendrick said during a phone interview that authorities responded to an old one-story residence on County 4430, previously known as Dry Spadra Road, which is north of Clarksville. Johnson County rural firefighters from RFD No. 1 responded to a fire call to Johnson County 911 Emergency Communications between 12:30 and 1 a.m. Monday.

“The house was totally gone when we got there,” Kendrick said. “RFD No. 1 firefighters alerted us to the remains of the girl when they were cooling the house fire down. Of course, when we talked to the parents at the scene, they had many other things on their mind. They did notify us when we arrived at the scene that the girl was the only person who did not get out of the house.”

Four people made it out of the home — the parents and two other children, 4 and 6 years of age, the sheriff explained.

“The girl was apparently restrained to the bed where she slept,” Kendrick pointed out, “chained by both ankles with a padlock to the bed. Sheriff’s Department officers, (Prosecuting Attorney) David Gibbons, Arkansas State Police investigators, state medical examiners and two people from the university have been conducting the investigation for two days.

Kendrick said the parents went to stay with relatives Monday morning after they left the incident. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene by Johnson County deputy coroner Ashley Davis. After state and local authorities continued their investigation throughout the day Monday, the parents were called back for a second interview at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office by local authorities and Kim Warren, an Arkansas State Police investigator from Franklin County.

“They were arrested at about 6:30 or 7 p.m. Monday and remain in the Johnson County Detention Center,” Kendrick stated Tuesday night, adding the man and woman could appear during a bond hearing today depending on judges’ schedules after no court was held because of the national holiday. The names of the man and woman are not being released, pending formal charges from the prosecutor’s office.

Kendrick said he wanted to thank the “outstanding investigative and heads-up” work by the rural firefighters, Gibbons and his staff, medical examiners from the State Crime Lab and the university.

“We’ve had the best of the best here since daylight, and the U of A examiners were out there with us until dark (Tuesday),” Kendrick said. “All necessary evidence, including all remains, were taken to the State Crime Lab in Little Rock (Tuesday).”

Copyright © 2003, Russellville Newspapers, Inc.

[carlo3b]

What have we become? Where are we going.. so sad..

[Maigrey]

I'm shaking my head in disbelief.

What a horrible way to go, and if such is the case, I'd want the parents to suffer as much as the child did.

I better not say more, for fear of being banned.

Bueno, Carlo!

[stands2reason]

Oh my God.....I hope those parents are jailed for the rest of their natural lives....where are the other children?

[tracer]

A very sad Holdmuhbeerwhilsttheycuffme bump.....

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I think these scum are not human and should be treated like rabid dogs.
I apologize to all rabid dogs.

[carlo3b]

Four people made it out of the home — the parents and two other children, 4 and 6 years of age, the sheriff explained.

“The girl was apparently restrained to the bed where she slept,” Kendrick pointed out, “chained by both ankles with a padlock to the bed.

Padlocked to a bed.. and they fled a fire knowing this.. the parents lived, the little girl died.. someone explain this to me.. before I scream...

[therut]

This happened in the County where my medical practice is. The father and mother have different last names. The last name of the 10 year old was the same as the fathers. Also I think the father was around 42 and the mother about 31. Also in the local paper and news the 10 year old had a habit of running away and starting fires according the the local police. I don't know this family or the children.There is more to the story it sounds like. And no-----the child should not be tied to the bed. They said the fire was accidental. That is all of the local news so far.

[Paulus Invictus]

Many Americans have become murderers, especially those killing their unborn and soon-to-be-born infants. The cruel parents that chained their kid to the bed are just as evil as the abortionists,

[AAABEST]

I better not say more, for fear of being banned.

It's okay to say that you would like to pour gas on these sick people, light them on fire and watch them die a horrid and painful death.

[dglang]

sounds like arkancide to me.

[AAABEST]

10 year old had a habit of running away and starting fires according the the local police.

Interesting. Maybe all is not as it appears.

[abigailsmybaby]

I've given up trying to understand such people. I have two four-letter words that describe....mean and evil. That's the only explanation there is.

I'm so sick of hearing of these horror stories that I'm to the point of thinking that there are people who should be neutered as part of their punishment.

[Reagan79]

sick, twisted, demented, kinky, worthless freaks...

God rest the child's soul.

[ChemistCat]

A little perspective, for what it's worth. These parents may have had a reason to do this. I doubt it, but it's possible.

When my son was diagnosed with autism, I became involved with an online group of parents with children who have disabilities of various sorts. It's good for perspective. I realized very quickly that I was BLESSED. One profoundly autistic child, age 13, was already bigger than his mother, and occasionally violent. He had severe sensory issues and would rage if certain words were said, because he couldn't stand the sound of them. He never slept for more than a couple of hours at a time at odd intervals, and liked to break and try to eat glass. Yes. Break and EAT glass. Any chance he had, he would do that. I guess the sensation of glass crunching did something for him. I can't imagine a brain that damaged...it's so painful to even think about having to take care of a child like that.

In order for the parents to get some rest, they ended up converting their attic. No toy of any kind was safe with the child. The attic was bare, completely padded. Bars over the light. They had to barricade the door on the other side of it. The mother was in anguish because of the extreme measures they had to take so that he would be safe while they slept, because she knew that in a fire, the measures that they had to take to keep him alive each night, would probably mean he'd lose his life.

They were losing their health and strength due to lack of sleep...this enabled them to keep their boy at home instead of sending him to a tax-funded institution.

Not saying this case is like that and most such cases are just plain abuse. There but for the grace of God go I I guess; my son is high-functioning and outgrew much more normal unsafe behavior at only a little older than his sisters did.

[Aquinasfan]

Also in the local paper and news the 10 year old had a habit of running away and starting fires according the the local police.

This has happened before, usually with kids who refuse to stay "grounded." Let's not jump to conclusions.

[CindyDawg]

That was my first thought too but wouldn't you think a parent would have went back in to get her or die trying?

[ex-Texan]

Arrrrrg ! What the hell was going on in the home before the fire ?

[Maigrey]

Alas, I am a lady, and in plesant company, I prefer not to use such harsh, vile, and graphic language.

Let's just say that they would not be in a position to sire more children..... and also have iron poisoning... and infected wounds from dull blunt serated objects.....

[MEG33]

"The names of the parents are not being released" to protect them from a mob!

[AAABEST]

Ow. I'd much rather burn!