Arson Suspected in House Fire

Arson is now believe to be the cause of a fire on Green Grove near Horne road Tuesday afternoon, and investigators say they know who started it. Although devastating for the home that was converted into four separate apartments, the fire initially seemed pretty routine.

Everyone got out, the flame were put out, and fire investigators began looking for a cause. However, a short time later a young boy, described as 6-7 years old, told a police officer that his grandfather deliberating started the blaze.

The boy said his grandfather, Richard Parker, first told him to start the fire in the middle of the living room. But when the boy refused, Parker took a lighter and did it himself, without stating any reason for doing so.

Fire investigators say the boy’s story is consistent with what they found inside. Parker was later taken to Spohn Memorial for a 72-hour mental evaluation.

And it turns out there may be a victim in the fire after all, just not a person. Chucky, a pet chihuahua, was finally pulled from the building long after the fire was put out. It was clearly in shock, foaming and drooling uncontrollably. The dog was given oxygen and a number of shots at a nearby vet’s office to help it breathe, but there’s a chance it still may not make it.

Firefighters had tried to find Chucky very quickly upon arrival, but he was hidden under some clothing and under a chair.

Battalion Chief Michael Schmidt said, “We had an initial report of possibly a pet being in there. We’ve done a primary and secondary search and haven’t been able to locate it.”

Late Tuesday evening, Chucky’s owners told 6 News he wasn’t doing too well, and they were considering taking him back to an emergency clinic, although the family wasn’t sure they even had the money to do that.

Parker will spend at least the next two days undergoing the mental evaluation. Once that’s over, it’s possible he could face criminal charges related to the fire, or to the injured chihuahua. That decision will be up to the District Attorney’s office.
By Bart Bedsole at KRIS News, Corpus Christi