James Crump, 33, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murdering his two-year-old son, Elijah Crump, who died in a house fire in January. The Dickinson County Sheriff's Office stated that Crump faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated endangering of a child under 18.
First responders were called to the rural Dickinson County home west of Topeka around 5:48 p.m. on January 26. Upon arrival, the residence was fully engulfed in flames. Deputies encountered James Crump and another child outside the home, who informed them that Elijah was still inside. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and discovered the toddler's body while searching the wreckage.
Following an investigation that lasted nearly six months, Dickinson County Attorney Brock Abbey submitted a criminal complaint against James Crump. A warrant was issued for his arrest, alleging that he murdered his son by causing or recklessly allowing a situation that endangered the child's life, understood to refer to the fire.
The warrant did not specify how investigators believe James Crump caused or allowed the fire to start. Abbey declined to comment on the case, citing his office's policy on pending litigation.
James Crump was booked into the Dickinson County Jail on Tuesday afternoon and is being held on a $250,000 cash bond. He made his first court appearance on Thursday before Judge Neal Gugler. It is unclear if he has retained legal counsel or entered a plea.
In early February, a neighbor, Pat MacDonald, described the scene to KSNW, stating, "It was terrifying to look out the window and see all those flashing red and white lights and the blaze in the house, but so many people came." She added at the time, "The community is pulling for this family."
Rick Crump, Elijah's grandfather, remembered the toddler, saying, "When I would see him in pictures, he always had a smile." He added, "Elijah probably is more blessed than we actually know because he is in heaven, and he is our Saint Elijah now."
