OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) – An Oshkosh man that has admitted to sleeping when a fire started and resulted in the death of a child is being charged with child neglect – consequence is death.
29-year-old Vernon Williams has a warrant issued for his arrest and he currently is not in custody.
An 18-year-old boy was killed in the fire that took place on September 6 on 1st street in Menasha.
A 5-year-old girl told investigators that she and another 3-year-old child were playing inside an apartment, with the 18-year-old nearby, according to the criminal complaint. The 3-year-old set a blanket on fire with a lighter and the 5-year-old helped that child get out, but couldn’t carry the baby.
According to the complaint, Williams admitted he was sleeping when the fire started around 1 in the afternoon. He was eventually woken up by a neighbor and attempted to get inside to save the child, but was unable to do so.
The complaint shows that a later blood test reveals Williams had a blood alcohol level at the time of .257.
Burns covered seventy percent of the child that died in the fire.
