Nicholas Adam Ecker Burned Down Home with Child Inside: Cops

A 28-year-old father in Kansas was arrested this weekend after he allegedly set hearth to a house deliberately and killed his toddler son. Nicholas Adam Ecker was taken into custody and charged with one depend every of first-degree homicide and aggravated arson with the chance of bodily hurt for allegedly beginning the fireplace that took the infant’s life, courtroom data reviewed by Regulation&Crime present.

Ecker appeared earlier than a decide in Johnson County District Courtroom on Monday for allegedly violating a protecting order in opposition to the sufferer’s mom. He faces separate fees of felony stalking, aggravated home assault, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Johnson County District Courtroom data present 15 circumstances in opposition to Ecker over time, together with varied juvenile offenses, home violence issues, and the present circumstances. Information present that a few of the juvenile circumstances, like misdemeanor possession or paraphernalia fees, had been dropped by the prosecution. Different juvenile circumstances, reminiscent of misdemeanor battery and false reporting of against the law, ended with Ecker beneath the supervision of the state.

However data additionally present: a 2010 responsible plea to misdemeanor disorderly conduct; a 2010 responsible plea for felony defacing ID marks of a firearm; a 2011 conviction for felony theft; a 2020 responsible plea to firearm possession by a felon.

In keeping with the Shawnee Police Division, officers and firefighters at roughly 1 a.m. on Sunday responded to a 911 calls a few home hearth at a residence positioned within the 10000 block of West 69th Terrace. Upon arriving on the scene, first responders reportedly discovered the house was already engulfed in flames, Kansas Metropolis ABC affiliate KMBC-TV reported. Firefighters battling the blaze entered the house and reportedly discovered the toddler inside. The sufferer was pronounced useless on the scene.

A reporter with native newspaper the Shawnee Mission Publish was reportedly on the scene of the fireplace within the early hours of Sunday morning. Per the Mission Publish’s report, a person driving a motorbike pulled into the aspect yard of the residence whereas the fireplace was nonetheless raging and “dumped the bike onto its aspect and sprinted in direction of the house’s entrance door.” The person, later recognized as Ecker, was reportedly stopped by police and firefighters previous to reaching the entrance door and escorted away earlier than he was ultimately detained and charged with setting the fireplace.

A replica of the prison grievance obtained by the Mission Publish reportedly alleges that Ecker “unlawfully and feloniously” killed his toddler son “via hearth or explosive.”

A decide ordered Ecker to stay detained on the Johnson County Jail on a bond of $1 million for the homicide and arson fees, in addition to a further $58,500 for the stalking, battery, and firearm fees, on-line data present.

“Our hearts exit to the household,” Shawnee Fireplace Division Deputy Chief Corey Sands stated after the blaze was beneath management, in accordance with Newsweek. “Shawnee is a tight-knit neighborhood. Our hearts exit to everybody.”

Cory Holmes, a good friend of the household, reportedly informed KMBC that the whole ordeal was “arduous to course of.”

“Simply shock and awe, I’d by no means see something like this occur to this household,” Holmes reportedly stated. “They’re an ideal household in order that they want all of the help they’ll get.”

A GoFundMe was arrange for the household by Jackie Phelps, who recognized herself on the web page because the sister of the sufferer’s mom. Phelps additionally referred to the toddler sufferer as “Junior.”

“Please please please preserve our household in your prayers. We’d like it badly! My stunning child nephew has gained his wings We love you Junior! Junior was so treasured and such a superb boy!” she wrote on the web page, which has raised simply over $6,000 as of Tuesday afternoon. “Our household has gone by means of arduous instances recently however we are going to overcome. Thanks all on your help and love. Any cent counts and can assist tremendously!”

Ecker was scheduled to seem for his arraignment on the homicide and arson fees on Tuesday.

Investigators have emphasised that their investigation is ongoing and urged anybody with related info to contact the Shawnee Police Division at 913-631-2150 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

[Image via Shawnee County Jail]

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