The video above is courtesy WIBW via NDN and the text below is courtesy WIBW via the CNN Wire.
By Nick Viviani
Topeka, KS (WIBW) — A brother and sister were simply playing in their backyard on Wednesday when, all of the sudden, the boy rushed inside, telling his uncle that his sister’s head was on fire.
“It’s unbelievable , I can’t imagine how someone could do this to such an innocent child who wasn’t doing anything wrong,” said Uncle George.
Six-year-old Jayden’s hair was fully engulfed in flames and she was slapping her head trying to put them out, her uncle recounted. George used cold rags to put out the fire, then called police.
Officers arrived less than a minute later- around 3:45 p.m. – and found Jayden had suffered non-life-threatening burns, according to the Topeka Police Dept. She was first taken to a nearby hospital for immediate treatment before going to a burn center in Kansas City.
Jayden’s brother, five-year-old Christopher, said an older man came over to their backyard fence in the 3200 block of SE Girard and told the kids to come over to him. Then, the 5 year-old boy says the man said he was going to light the girl’s head on fire, lit a cigarette, and ran off. The man reportedly was wearing green pants and a hat.
“She was playing in her backyard on a nice day, and you can have the mindset to cause this pain to a child… I can’t believe it, it’s the most horrific thing I’ve seen.”
The Topeka Police Dept. said it is investigating all leads in the case, adding that it is still discovering facts. It has asked the Topeka Fire Dept. Criminal Division to assist. Anyone with information related to this case is asked to call 785-368-9400 or CrimeStoppers at 785-234-0007.
Click here for updates and local coverage of this story from WIBW.
