Barber accused of fatally beating 6-year-old with piece of lumber after child peed his pants

PLACENTIA, Calif. (TCN) -- A 41-year-old man faces charges after allegedly torturing and causing fatal injuries to a young boy he was babysitting after the victim had peed his pants.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, on Thursday Aug. 29, after his third day of first grade, 6-year-old Chance Crawford was dropped off at Ernest Love’s barbershop so Love could care for him while his mother worked the night shift as a nurse’s assistant at St. Joseph’s Hospital. At around 1:30 a.m., Love allegedly brought the child to the emergency room at Children’s Hospital of Orange County because he was unconscious and struggling to breathe.

The district attorney’s office said physicians observed that much of Crawford’s flesh on his buttocks was missing, "leaving raw, gaping wounds." Doctors also reportedly noticed a subdural hematoma, severe brain swelling, and "other injuries consistent with violent shaking." According to prosecutors, the victim had a healing shoulder fracture.

Crawford died from his injuries several days later, on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

Investigators obtained surveillance footage that reportedly shows Love entering his barbershop with a large piece of raw lumber and a "reluctant" Crawford behind him. Authorities allege that after Crawford had urinated in his clothing at a local park, Love beat the boy with the lumber before dousing his open wounds with hydrogen peroxide. Love is accused of then forcing the child to do push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks. After Crawford collapsed, Love allegedly drove him to the emergency room instead of calling 911.

On Sept. 4, the district attorney’s office announced that they charged Love with one felony count of murder, one felony count of torture, and one felony count of child abuse causing death. He faces a maximum sentence of 32 years to life with an additional five years if convicted of all charges.

Love pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, "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. 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."

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