17-year-old questioned after Aurora preschooler severely burned

Aurora Police are questioning a 17-year-old man in connection with an incident that resulted in a 3-year-old girl suffering serious burns to nearly one-quarter of her body.

Aurora Police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said police and rescue crews were called to a home on the 1200 block of Grove Street just after 7:00 p.m.

Ferrelli said investigators learned the 3-year-old victim had been upstairs with the 17-year-old for a short amount of time before she came running downstairs with her clothing on fire.

Two women in the home, ages 19 and 50, extinguished the flames and called 911, Ferrelli said.

As the women were tending to the child, the 17-year-old man - who is related to the victim - left the home. He returned a short time later and was arrested.

The girl was taken to Rush Copley Medical Center before being airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where she is listed in critical but stable condition with third-degree burns over 18 percent of her body, Ferrelli said.

At this time, charges have not been filed against the 17-year-old. He is currently being held in the Aurora jail.

Aurora Fire Department arson investigators, the Kane County Child Advocacy Center, and the Department of Children and Family Services all are assisting in the investigation, Ferrelli said.