Aurora man charged with setting niece on fire

A 17-year-old Aurora man was being held on $3 million bond Wednesday after he was charged with spraying lighter fluid on his 3-year-old niece and then setting the girl on fire, authorities said.

The girl, who was severely burned in the incident, remained hospitalized.

Aurora police said Raymundo Herrera, of the 1200 block of Grove Street, faces two counts of attempted murder and single counts of heinous battery, aggravated domestic battery and aggravated battery. He was being held in Kane County jail in Geneva.

"It's a very disturbing incident," police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said. "Any time a child is brutally victimized, it really gets to the emotion of every officer that works on the case because many have kids."

Herrera could face an extended prison term if convicted of the charges, all of which are felonies.

Aurora police and fire department paramedics responded to Herrera's home just after 7 p.m. Monday and learned the victim had been upstairs with him. She spent a short time with Herrera before she came running downstairs with her clothes on fire.

The victim's aunt, 19, and grandmother, 50, extinguished the flames and called 911.

Herrera had left by the time police arrived but was found by family members walking nearby. They brought him back to the house.

"It's important to realize that it wasn't just the girl who was victimized but also other family members," Ferrelli said.

He said family members cooperated with police and expressed concern for both the victim and Herrera.

Police said Herrera apparently was upset the child interrupted him while he was listening to music. They said he sprayed lighter fluid on the girl and set her on fire.

She suffered third-degree burns over 18 percent of her body and remained Wednesday in Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.