Suburban Man Sentenced to 26 Years for Setting Fire that Seriously Injured His Family
A twenty-year old South Suburban man was recently sentenced to a 26-year prison term for intentionally setting fire to an apartment building last year that resulted in serious burns to his five month-old infant daughter and the child’s grandmother, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Branden Strayhorne, 20, according to Alvarez, pled guilty to two counts of Attempted Murder and one count of Aggravated Arson for the incident which occurred in Oct. of 2014 in south suburban Chicago Heights.
According to prosecutors, on Oct. 8, 2014, Strayhorne went to his ex-girlfriend’s apartment building in Chicago Heights and attempted to gain entry into the apartment where the woman lived with her two young children and her mother. The woman refused to let Strayhorne into the apartment and called the police when he would not leave.
Strayhorne fled before the police arrived, but returned to the apartment approximately one hour later with a plastic bottle filled with gasoline. Strayhorne then broke a window in the apartment and poured gasoline inside the window. He then ignited the gasoline and a fire quickly erupted.
As a result of the fire, Strayhorne’s infant daughter and the child’s grandmother were seriously injured.
The grandmother suffered second and third degree burns over 30 percent of her body, including her lungs, and the child sustained second and third degree burns to her face and body. Both victims have since recovered from their injuries.
Judge Frank Zelezinski sentenced Strayhorne to the 26-year prison term during a hearing at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse in Markham.
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