Josiah James McIntosh, Cambria County, Pennsylvania father tries to set 4 year old son on fire to burn demons out of him. Child discovered not wearing clothes and doused in gasoline.
A Johnstown, Pennsylvania man has been arrested after allegedly pouring gasoline on his four-year-old son and attempting to set the child on fire in a bid to ‘burn the demon out of him.’
Josiah James McIntosh of Cambria County upon his arrest was charged with aggravated assault after witnesses said the father doused the 4-year-old boy with gasoline and ‘talking’ about setting him on fire – WJACTV reports.
Authorities say officers were sent to a Southmont borough home shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday — where they found the child naked and his body doused with gasoline, along with the child’s 27 year old father in possession of a disposable lighter and smelling of gasoline.
Officer Christopher Kesslak alleged in a criminal complaint that the defendant ‘splashed gasoline on the little boy and made a reference to setting him on fire.’ Police said another man reported the defendant saying ‘If we can’t get out the demon, I’ll burn it out of him.’
The other man said he tried to get McIntosh out of the house but the defendant punched him and hit him in the head with a brick. Police confirmed that the man had visible injures on his left side, especially the head and ear.
McIntosh is also charged with aggravated assault of a person less than 6 years old, simple assault, reckless endangerment, making terroristic threats, arson and child endangerment. A message was left Saturday for an attorney representing him.
McIntosh is being housed at the Cambria County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail, court dockets show, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 27.
