California barber charged with murder and torture of 6-year-old boy

A 41-year-old Placentia barber was charged Wednesday, Sep. 4 with torturing and killing a 6-year-old boy he was babysitting last month.

After finishing his first-grade class on Aug. 29, the boy was dropped off around 6:30 p.m. at Ernest Lamar Love’s barbershop while his mother, a nurse’s assistant at St. Joseph’s Hospital, worked a night shift. At some point, the boy went to a local park before video surveillance showed he returned to the barbershop later that evening with Love, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said.

The boy appeared to reluctantly follow Love into the shop, as the 41-year-old man carried a large piece of lumber in with him, surveillance footage showed.

Love is accused of beating the boy with the lumber piece before pouring hydrogen peroxide on his open wounds and forcing him to do sit-ups, push-ups and jumping jacks before the child collapsed. He is also accused of taking the boy to the CHOC emergency room instead of calling 911.

At that point, the child was unconscious and struggling to breath, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said.

The little boy, who died from his injuries Tuesday, Sep. 3, suffered a subdural hematoma, extreme brain swelling, and additional injuries typical of violent shaking. Doctors also found that a considerable portion of flesh was missing from the child’s buttocks, leaving behind raw, gaping wounds.

“Words do not exist to describe the absolute terror this little boy was forced to endure – all at the hands of someone who was supposed to be protecting him, not torturing him to death. Now we as prosecutors will do everything we can to pursue justice … and be his protectors in death that he failed to have in life,” District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement.

Love, who is currently being held without bail, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to one felony count of murder, one felony count of torture, and one felony count of child abuse causing death. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 32 years to life, plus an additional five years.

Details on how the mother knew Love and if he had previously been a babysitter for the child were not released.