A 27-year-old Logan County man has been arrested on charges of first-degree murder and arson in Thursday's explosion and fire that resulted in the death of a 2-year-old boy in Paris, according to the Arkansas State Police.
Ricky Carter was being held in the Logan County jail Friday, a news release from the state police said.
Police, fire and emergency personnel responded to a call early Thursday morning after neighbors heard an explosion that caused a fire at a home in the 1700 block of South Elm Street in Paris.
The explosion damaged the house, which included collapsing the front porch roof. One neighbor, who said she heard the explosion about 2:30 a.m. Thursday, said she saw what appeared to be a fire inside a window at the back of the house.
A Paris police officer entered the house assisted by Carter and carried four children from the burning house, the news release said. Carter and three of the children were not hurt.
The state police said Carter was staying at the house.
Red Cross disaster service specialist Tracy McMillen didn't name Carter on Thursday when she spoke with media, but said the mother living in the house had a live-in boyfriend.
The fourth child, who McMillen said was a male twin, was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. State police said the boy's body was sent to the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
The investigation will continue, the news release said. Included in the investigation are the state police's fire marshal's office, the state police Crimes Against Children Division and the Paris Police and Fire departments.
The Red Cross has given the mother, who went to stay with nearby family Thursday, a debit card to use for food, lodging and supplies, McMillen said. Counselors from the Red Cross also were available, she said.
NW News on 12/23/2017