Cordell Brown, the father of the baby killed in the southwest Edmonton arson last Tuesday, was once again arrested Saturday and taken to the hospital under the Mental Health Act, Edmonton police said.
Brown, who says he has been having anxiety attacks since his home burnt down and his five-month-old Hunter died, has been in the hospital twice in the last 24 hours.
“Sometimes I have anxiety,” Brown told CTV News on the phone from the hospital Saturday. “Like, you know, when your house burns down, and people murder members of your family? You kinda get anxious.”
Early Friday night, witnesses told CTV News Brown was arrested and taken into custody.
“We heard him say stuff like, ‘I’m being accused of arson, letting the baby die…’” a neighbour said. “At one point he was sitting on the ground and the cops were adjusting his handcuffs by the look of it and then he said ‘I’d like to be taken to the hospital please’.”
Brown said police charged him with arson, but the dropped the charges Saturday. EPS have not confirmed whether they ever charged him with anything.
On Saturday, Brown was spotted in Windermere talking to police and emergency services. An EPS spokesperson said he was arrested again today – but not charged – under the Mental Health Act.
Brown’s wife, Angie Tang, remains in the hospital in serious, but stable condition, her husband said. She’s not able to breathe on her own yet, but she is communicating through written messages.
Brown also said he’s cooperating in the investigation, even offering a cash reward through a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $12,000.
“I’ll feel better when that person is arrested,” Brown said.
With files from Jeremy Thompson
