Murder: 41-Year-Old man from Orange County Charged With Murder of Chance Crawford, 6, After Fatal Beating Resulting to Death
In connection with the death of a 6-year-old child he was watching, a 41-year-old Orange County man is accused of killing him and torturing him with a piece of timber late last month.
On August 29, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Chance Crawford, the victim, finished his third day of first grade and was dropped off at Ernest Lamar Love’s barbershop in Placentia. This is when the unfortunate and horrifying occurrence happened.
The 41-year-old was seen by the authorities entering his barbershop at approximately 11 p.m. while dragging a “large piece of raw lumber with a reluctant Chance following behind him,” according to surveillance camera footage.
“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 said.
Love is accused of taking Chance into the Children’s Hospital of Orange County emergency room at roughly 1:30 a.m. on August 30 after he collapsed, rather than dialing 911 for assistance.
According to the prosecution, Love was watching the boy when the boy’s mother attended St. Joseph’s Hospital during the night as a nurse’s helper.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release that Love became aggressive with the boy after the latter allegedly urinated in his trousers at a nearby park.
The 41-year-old was seen by the authorities entering his barbershop at approximately 11 p.m. while dragging a “large piece of raw lumber with a reluctant Chance following behind him,” according to surveillance camera footage.
“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 said.
Love is accused of taking Chance into the Children’s Hospital of Orange County emergency room at roughly 1:30 a.m. on August 30 after he collapsed, rather than dialing 911 for assistance.