Older Sibling Stops Mom Having ‘Severe Mental Crisis’ From Lighting 4-Year-Old Son on Fire, Cops Say

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First Published: 6:43 AM PST, December 16, 2022

There had been six children at the home during the incident.

A 4-year-old boy’s older sibling became his superhero earlier this week when they stopped their mom from pouring lighter fluid on his bed and setting it on fire, police said.

Latisha McDonald, 33, of Nashville, North Carolina, was charged with attempted murder, attempted arson and felony child abuse after allegedly pouring lighter fluid on her 4-year-old son’s bed and attempted to light the bed and the boy on fire early Tuesday, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

“McDonald was obviously having a severe mental health crisis that warranted immediate medical and mental intervention,” authorities said.

When the boy’s older sibling realized what their mom had intended to do, they intervened and took the lighter away from her, stopping her from lighting the bed ablaze, police said.

Patrol deputies with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office arrived to the scene at 6:38 a.m. to respond to an active disturbance between family members and took McDonald into custody under an emergency involuntary commitment order, they said.

There were four minors other than the boy whose bed was doused in lighter fluid and their sibling who stopped their mother in the home at the time. All six children are now in the custody of the Nash County Social Services Department, authorities reported.

McDonald is currently being held at Nash UNC Health Care pending medical and mental health treatment, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office said in their statement. "Warrants will be served once she is released from the hospital," officials said.

Authorities are continuing to investigate.