A Carthage man is being held in the Jasper County Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond after one of his children was flown to Mercy Springfield with serious injuries Wednesday.
Christopher James Albin (DOB 1988) is charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child after he allegedly awakened to find the child on fire and then did not call 911 after he extinguished the fire.
At the time of the fire, Albin was supposed to be caring for children ages 8, 6 and 5, with intellectual or developmental needs, according to the probable cause statement filed in Jasper County Circuit Court.
From the probable cause statement:
On September 9, 2026, officers of the Carthage Police Department responded to 615 E. Airport Drive,
Apartment 3F, in reference to a juvenile who had sustained severe burn injuries. Upon arrival, officers located Victim 1, who had sustained extensive burn injuries requiring immediate medical treatment.Victim 1 was subsequently transported by medical helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, for treatment.
There were three children present in the residence at the time of the incident, with Victim 1 being the child who sustained the burn injuries.
There were three children present in the residence at the time of the incident, with Victim 1 being the child who sustained the burn injuries.
Christopher James Albin, the father of the children, was present inside the residence when the incident occurred. Victim 1 is eight years old, Victim 2 is six years old, and Victim 3 is five years old.
During the initial investigation, Albin stated that he had been asleep and awoke to find Victim 1 on fire. Albin stated he attempted to extinguish the fire after discovering Victim 1. Evidence located at the scene included burned pieces of clothing and portions of burned skin.
During the initial investigation, Albin stated that he had been asleep and awoke to find Victim 1 on fire. Albin stated he attempted to extinguish the fire after discovering Victim 1. Evidence located at the scene included burned pieces of clothing and portions of burned skin.
Albin then stated he put Victim 1 into the tub so he could wash the burn or attempt to ease the pain that Victim 1 was experiencing.
Albin was subsequently transported to the Carthage Police Department, where I conducted an interview with him regarding the incident.
Albin was subsequently transported to the Carthage Police Department, where I conducted an interview with him regarding the incident.
Prior to the interview, I read Albin his Miranda rights. Albin stated he understood his rights, agreed to speak with me, and signed a written waiver of those rights.
During the interview, Albin provided an account of his activities earlier in the day. Albin stated he awoke at approximately 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. and changed the children's diapers. He stated he then prepared breakfast for the children, which he described as Pop-Tarts and candy.
During the interview, Albin provided an account of his activities earlier in the day. Albin stated he awoke at approximately 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. and changed the children's diapers. He stated he then prepared breakfast for the children, which he described as Pop-Tarts and candy.
Albin stated that at approximately 10:00 a.m., he changed the children's diapers again.
Albin stated that later in the morning, he went back to his bedroom with Victim 1, where Victim 1 laid in bed with him while they watched television. Albin stated the other two children remained on the floor watching television.
Albin stated he became relaxed and eventually fell asleep. He stated he subsequently awoke to find Victim 1 on fire.
Albin stated that on the evening prior to the incident, he had been using a lighter to light a candle and had left the lighter out. I specifically questioned Albin regarding whether any other items capable of causing a fire had been left within the children's reach, including additional lighters, a torch, or other items associated with the lighting of the candle.
Albin initially stated there was nothing else left out. Albin stated that he normally keeps such items stored in a backpack in a closet.
During the investigation, information obtained from investigators who processed the scene established that additional items had been left out in the residence, including butane fuel containers and an additional torch. These items were not initially disclosed by Albin during my questioning.
When confronted with this additional information during the interview, Albin acknowledged that he had left the butane and another torch out in the residence. Albin stated that he understood that leaving those items out was his fault but maintained that the incident was accidental and was not intentional.
During my investigation, I also observed one of the children appeared to have dried fecal matter on their bodies. The children's diapers also appeared as though they had not been changed for an extended period of time. I questioned Albin regarding the condition of the children and their diapers. Albin stated that he had changed their diapers and suggested that the children may have defecated themselves during or following the incident due to the traumatic experience. The fecal matter appeared to be dried at the time it was observed.
Albin also stated that, after the fire occurred, he did not immediately call 911. Instead, he contacted the children's mother. Albin stated that after speaking with her, he experienced an asthma-related issue and administered an asthma treatment to himself before calling 911. As a result, emergency services were not immediately contacted by Albin following the incident. Emergency services were eventually contacted by the reporting party, a nearby church employee.
During the interview, Albin acknowledged that he has smoked THC in the presence of the children. He also acknowledged that he had previously lit candles in their presence and that the children had observed him using lighters. When questioned about whether he had ever taken a lighter away from one of the children or instructed them regarding the dangers of lighters, Albin stated that he had never caught any of the children with a lighter and had never taken a lighter away from them. Albin also stated that he had never specifically explained the dangers of lighters to the children.
Albin stated that the children would watch movies or other programming in which fire may be depicted, and that when the children would see someone catch on fire or similar situations, he would tell them that fire was bad and that they should not play with fire. However, Albin stated he had never specifically instructed the children about the dangers of lighters because he had never caught them with a lighter.
The three children in the residence were eight, six, and five years old, respectively, and information available during the investigation indicated that the children had intellectual or developmental needs.
The investigation established that lighters, butane fuel, and a torch had been left accessible within the residence where the children were present.
Victim 1 sustained extensive burn injuries as a result of the incident, including singed hair and burns to multiple areas of the body. The severity of Victim 1's injuries required Victim 1 to be transported by medical helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Springfield for further treatment.
Subsequently, Albin's oldest child, identified as J4, was interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center. During the interview, J4 disclosed that Albin would use a bong or THC rig approximately 10 to 20 times per day. J4 further disclosed that he would routinely care for the younger children because Albin would become intoxicated, sluggish, and difficult to wake after using THC.
Based on the totality of the circumstances, including Albin's presence in the residence, his admission that he left a lighter, butane fuel, and a torch accessible in the residence, his initial failure to disclose the presence of the butane and additional torch when specifically questioned about items capable of causing a fire, the condition of the children and their diapers, his failure to immediately call 911 following the incident, and the resulting severe injuries sustained by Victim 1, I determined there was probable cause to arrest Albin.
Victim 1 sustained extensive burn injuries as a result of the incident, including singed hair and burns to multiple areas of the body. The severity of Victim 1's injuries required Victim 1 to be transported by medical helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Springfield for further treatment.
Subsequently, Albin's oldest child, identified as J4, was interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center. During the interview, J4 disclosed that Albin would use a bong or THC rig approximately 10 to 20 times per day. J4 further disclosed that he would routinely care for the younger children because Albin would become intoxicated, sluggish, and difficult to wake after using THC.
Based on the totality of the circumstances, including Albin's presence in the residence, his admission that he left a lighter, butane fuel, and a torch accessible in the residence, his initial failure to disclose the presence of the butane and additional torch when specifically questioned about items capable of causing a fire, the condition of the children and their diapers, his failure to immediately call 911 following the incident, and the resulting severe injuries sustained by Victim 1, I determined there was probable cause to arrest Albin.
No comments:
Post a Comment