Henderson police: Mom arrested after son, 11, injured in car fire

A mother faces multiple charges, including child abuse and arson, after Henderson police say her son set a van ablaze and was burned early Wednesday morning.

According to City of Henderson spokeswoman Nicole Johnson, the mother, who was arrested Wednesday, told police that she woke up Sunday and noticed that her van was missing. Johnson said that the woman’s 11-year-old son and an 18-year-old acquaintance had taken the van and left it somewhere near Sam Boyd Stadium, near Russell Road and Boulder Highway.

Late Tuesday night, the woman drove her son and the acquaintance to the van, but stopped by a nearby gas station where she bought a gas can and gasoline. The group then doused the van with gas and the 11-year-old set the van aflame, according to Johnson.

The flames quickly jumped to the boy, Johnson said.

The mom rushed him to a gas station and called an 911. The boy was taken to a nearby hospital for burns. His condition was not known Wednesday night.

The woman, who police have not yet identified, was charged with child abuse with substantial bodily harm, third-degree arson, and conspiracy to commit arson.

Contact reporter Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Follow @ColtonLochhead on Twitter.