"Toddler John" ARUOMAH - 2 yo - Long Beach CA

Neighbors heard smoke alarms as early as 8:30pm on Sunday night but the LBFD was not notified of a North Long Beach apartment fire until they responded around 1:30am Monday, where they discovered a 2-year old boy that was nearly dead as his mother had left him home alone for several hours.

New details and photos have been released by the Long Beach Fire Department this evening after a 2-year old boy nearly perished in an apartment fire last night before a dangerous rescue by firefighters.

The boy has been listed in Critical but Stable condition, and a press release from the LBFD tonight reveals that the boy was found in respiratory arrest, hiding in a closet when a firefighter found and rescued him. A neighbor told firefighters that smoke alarms could be heard as early as 8:30pm on Sunday night.

The mother of the child has already been arrested and charged with felony child abuse.

The fire was reportedly caused by a malfunctioning electrical exhaust fan above the stove in the kitchen. As we mentioned earlier today, the firefighter who rescued the child fell through the second-story floor but managed to stop himself with his elbows and continue searching. The press release indicates that this was caused by weakened support beams hidden under the floor.

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EARLIER REPORT - The Long Beach Police Department has announced that the mother of the two-year old boy rescued by firefighters last night has been arrested for felony child abuse after leaving the child alone for several hours.

Patience Aruomah, 31, is currently being held at the Long Beach City Jail on $100,000 bail. A child abuse detective immediately launched an investigation last night after an accidental fire nearly killed Aruomah's two-year old son. The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services will also investigate the incident.

Anyone who may have information that could assist this investigation should contact Child Abuse Detective Araceli Thue at (562) 570-7321.

The mother of a 2-year-old boy rescued from a burning Long Beach apartment building has pleaded not guilty to felony child endangerment for allegedly leaving the child unattended for hours.



A deputy public defender entered the not guilty plea Wednesday for 31-year-old Patience Aruomah in Superior Court. She remains jailed on $130,000 bail. Aruomah was arrested early Monday, the same day the fire broke out in the heating ventilation system in her two-bedroom apartment. Long Beach firefighters ran into the burning building and found the little boy face down and not breathing. Authorities say the child was taken to a hospital in critical condition, but is improving.