An Illinois father and a babysitter face first-degree murder charges after a 23-month-old girl died from complications of severe burns, with investigators alleging the adults delayed seeking medical treatment for roughly 32 hours.
Courtney N. Heath, who was caring for the toddler, and the child’s father, Payton M. Beaver, also face charges of child endangerment causing death.
Both remain in the Edgar County Jail without bond and have pleaded not guilty to the murder charges, according to WCIA.
The Edgar County Coroner’s Office determined that the girl died from “sepsis due to scalding thermal burns,” according to its final autopsy findings released Oct. 22. The coroner classified her death as a homicide. Authorities have not publicly released the child’s name, identifying her as “Z.B.” in court documents.
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The case began Sept. 21, when emergency responders went to a home in the 200 block of West Edgar Street in Paris, Illinois, after receiving a 911 call about a child experiencing seizures. An ambulance took the toddler to Horizon Health Paris Community Hospital, where medical personnel pronounced her dead at 7:42 p.m., according to the Paris Police Department.
Scott Barrett, the Edgar County coroner, said the homicide designation served a specific purpose on the death certificate.
“The manner of death determination of homicide is for the completion of the death certificate,” Barrett said. “The decision to pursue criminal charges is the responsibility of the Edgar County State’s Attorney’s Office.”
Investigators’ allegations focus on how the toddler sustained her burns and why neither adult sought medical care sooner.
In a probable cause affidavit, investigators said Heath told them the child suffered burns in a hot shower. However, the affidavit states that “the E.R. doctor noted the injuries Z.B. sustained were not consistent with a water or shower burn.” Investigators also found hair believed to belong to the toddler inside an oven door, with the follicles still attached.
Heath allegedly applied aloe vera gel to the burns while the girl remained in her care. The injuries reportedly worsened, and Heath kept the toddler overnight without contacting emergency services before returning her to Beaver at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Sept. 21.
Beaver then cared for his daughter until about 5:30 p.m., police said. Investigators state he saw her injuries and applied triple-antibiotic ointment but did not take her to a medical facility because he feared arrest.
“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 in the affidavit.
Later that day, Heath purchased burn gel and gauze from Dollar General, picked up the toddler from Beaver and took her to her residence to treat the wounds. The timeline outlined in the affidavit states the child soon went limp while in Heath’s care and began having seizures, according to Heath’s account. She contacted Beaver before calling 911 at 6:59 p.m.
Investigators also documented Beaver’s alleged admission that he knew the toddler needed medical attention but chose not to seek it.
“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 will appear in court again on Nov. 20.
