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Last updated on Monday, April 25, 2016
(FRENCH LICK) - A 12-year-old Joesph Faith was flown by helicopter to the University of Louisville hospital after he suffered second and third degree burns on his legs and feet on Sunday.
Emergency crews were called to the home in the 8190 block of West Ohio Street after a 911 call from the boys came into the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department at 3:34 p.m. and that call was forwarded to Orange County officials.
French Lick Police Chief Jason Hunt says they were told the boy was injured while fueling a lawn mower.
Jason Hunt, chief of the French Lick Fire Department, said, "They're telling us it was the result of a fueling accident. He was fueling a lawn mower."
Chief Hunt says the boy's mother and stepfather did not call police right away because they both are wanted on warrants.
According to a police report, a French Lick police officer, arrived at the scene after dispatchers received a call from the boy's father, Robert Faith, stating there were two people at the home and they hadn't reported the boy's injuries because there were warrants out for their arrests.
The officer confirmed the outstanding warrants and went to the home. When he arrived he found the boy "walking around in pain and stated to me to please get him some help." The officer told the boy help was on the way.
Police first detained Allstott and then spoke with Jerry Singleton, police noted was as an amputee with limited mobility and consequently couldn't help the child. He told police the boy came inside and went upstairs and the next thing he knew Joseph was on fire and he came down the stairs screaming for help. Singleton told police he helped put the fire out.
Police went upstairs, but the report notes they couldn't find anything related to the fire. Singleton then handed them clothes that was in the kitchen that he claimed the boy was wearing. Police later spoke to a woman who they found in a bedroom and claimed she was Susan Tucker, but police later learned that the woman was the boy's mother Margaret Faith.
Police arrested 36-year-old Margaret Faith and 24-year-old Tyler Allstott
Faith is wanted on two warrants for failure to appear and a warrant for theft out of Washington and new charges of false identity, possession of meth, maintaining a common nuisance, neglect of a dependent and interference with reporting a medical emergency.
The incident is still under investigation by French Lick Police Department and the Indiana State Fire Marshal.
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