Father Wanted In Vallejo Arson That Killed Son Surrenders
RICHMOND (CBS SF) -- Police in Richmond have confirmed that the man suspected of starting the fatal fire at a Vallejo home last weekend that killed the suspect's 5-year-old son turned himself in late Wednesday morning.
Richmond police told KPIX 5 that 53-year-old Vallejo resident Darrylone Shuemake Sr. called the Richmond Police Department dispatch center and said he wanted to surrender at around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
A Richmond police lieutenant confirmed that the suspect turned himself in at the corner of San Pablo and Barrett avenues and was suicidal. He was taken into custody without incident.
Shuemake was transported to Vallejo police at around 1:30 p.m.
Vallejo police on Monday named Shuemake as the suspect believed to be responsible for setting the a fatal weekend fire at a home Sunday morning.
The fire was first reported at 9:53 a.m. in the 800 block of Stella Street across Highway 37 from Discovery Kingdom according to Vallejo fire spokesman Kevin Brown.
Witnesses said that a young child was trapped inside the burning home and several Good Samaritans, along with the child's mother and an uncle, were attempting to rescue the child when firefighters arrived. Officials confirmed to KPIX the child was deceased when located.
Shuemake is the father of Dayleon Shuemake, the boy who was killed in the fire.
Police believe the fire was set in the back master bedroom where Dayleon and his mother were at the time.
"He used an accelerant and the fire's origin was in the master bedroom," said Vallejo Police Lt. Jeff Bassett.
One neighbor KPIX 5 spoke to said he did everything he could to save the little boy.
Jeff Ames lives across the street from the home that caught fire and called 911 before running over to help.
"Heard the woman, the mom out front, hollering for someone to save her baby, so I ran down there," explained Ames.
Ames said he was able to get halfway into the home. The flames were mostly contained to the back bedroom.
"But the smoke was horrible. I mean thick, toxic smoke like an oil fire almost," recalled Ames. "I got low, I kind of hovered the floor and was able to go a few feet further and that was it."
By the time fire crews arrived, it was too late. The five-year-old was found dead in that back bedroom.
The boy's teenage brother suffered minor injuries in Sunday's fire. The mother remains hospitalized recovering from second and third degree burns.
