KINSTON, N.C. — A warrant has been issued for a North Carolina man wanted in connection with a house fire in November that killed an 8-year-old boy, a sheriff’s office said.
The Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office said on its Facebook page Tuesday that deputies are looking for William Jemeriah Howell, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter.
According to the sheriff’s office, detectives determined that Howell was the only adult in the home just outside of Kinston on Nov. 21 and was intoxicated. The investigation determined that Howell had turned on the kitchen stove to cook food, but left it unattended.
The detectives said they believe Howell’s intoxication and negligence ultimately led to the child’s death.
