Inset, left to right: Courtney N. Heath and Payton M. Beaver (WCIA). Background: The residence in Illinois where authorities found the victim shortly before her death (Google Maps).
The father and babysitter of an Illinois toddler are accused of killing the 23-month-old girl, who died from infected thermal burns allegedly suffered in a home where the toddler's hair was found inside an oven door.
The babysitter, Courtney N. Heath, and the father, Payton M. Beaver, each face one count of first-degree murder, in addition to charges of child endangerment causing death.
According to a press release from the Paris Police Department, officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded to a residence in the 200 block of West Edgar Street on Sept. 21 for a 911 call concerning a juvenile suffering seizures. An ambulance transported the victim to Horizon Health Paris Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 7:42 p.m.
The Edgar County Coroner's Office issued its final autopsy findings on Oct. 22, ruling that the toddler's cause of death was "sepsis due to scalding thermal burns" and determining the manner of death was a homicide.
The child's name is being withheld, though she is referred to as "Z.B." in court documents.
The charging documents allege that Heath "allowed" the toddler to suffer the fatal burns while Beaver "was aware" of her injuries and did not seek medical assistance for about 32 hours, at which point it was too late for the victim, Champaign, Illinois-based CBS affiliate WCIA reported.
The allegations against the defendants were detailed in a probable cause affidavit obtained by Terre Haute, Indiana, NBC affiliate WTWO.
Heath allegedly told investigators that the child had been burned in a hot shower. But the affidavit reportedly states that "the E.R. doctor noted the injuries Z.B. sustained were not consistent with a water or shower burn." Additionally, investigators found hairs consistent with the toddler's hair "inside an oven door with follicles attached."
The babysitter said she applied aloe vera gel to the burns, which continued to worsen while the child was in her care. She reportedly kept the toddler overnight before returning her to her father at 4:30 a.m. on Sept. 21.
Beaver then cared for the girl until 5:30 p.m., police said. During that time he allegedly saw her injuries but decided not to seek assistance because he thought he might get in trouble.
"He admitted seeing the injuries and treating them with triple antibiotic ointment but did not intend to seek medical care, due to being too concerned about being arrested," investigators wrote.
Later that afternoon, Heath bought burn gel and gauze at Dollar General, picked the child up from Beaver and took her to Heath's residence to tend to the wounds, the affidavit states. Shortly after they arrived, Heath said the toddler went limp and began having seizures. She contacted Beaver before calling 911 at 6:59 p.m.
"During his interview, Payton [Beaver] admitted that he knew Z.B. needed to be [seen] by a doctor, but refused to seek medical attention due to his own concern of being arrested," the affidavit states.
Both defendants remain in the Edgar County Jail without bond. They are scheduled to appear in court again on Nov. 20.