PLAINVIEW, Texas — On Monday, EverythingLubbock.com requested and obtained an arrest warrant against Christopher Cantrell, 33.
Cantrell was the man arrested and charged Friday with criminally negligent homicide in the death of his 3-year-old daughter. The little girl’s body was found in a burning vehicle in the 3600 block of Olton Road in Plainview.
“I was able to hear a male subject yell in a loud fashion to what appeared to have sounded [like] a yell of remorse.”
arrest warrant against christopher cantrell
The warrant said Plainview Police and firefighters responded to a vehicle fire outside a vape shop. A justice of the peace was also asked to respond.
The officer who wrote the arrest warrant said, “I was able to hear a male subject yell in a loud fashion to what appeared to have sounded [like] a yell of remorse.”
The man who was yelling “appeared to be distraught and in a sense of despair,” the warrant said. The man was later identified as Cantrell.
Cantrell told officers that his daughter fell asleep in the car as he was driving to the vape shop. He went inside to buy an e-cigarette coil.
“He then said he killed the car and ran inside and told them what he wanted,” the warrant said.
“Some guy whom he didn’t identify went inside and said someone’s car was on fire,” the warrant said. “He then couldn’t go into the car due to it being locked and he couldn’t reach in due to the fire to get his daughter.”
“Due to the investigation, it was determined Cantrell had left his daughter inside the vehicle that was on fire where she was later pronounced deceased.”
Cantrell was arrested a few hours after the fire. As of Monday he was able to make bond and get released from jail while his case is pending.
Related Story: One person arrested in connection to child’s death in Plainview car fire
The following is the text of the affidavit of the arrest warrant:
On Friday, August 16. 2019, I, Cpl. Montelongo was able to overhear radio dispatch receive several 911 calls regarding a vehicle on fire at the Galaxy Vape Shop. I then continued to listen as a second caller advised that there was a child inside the vehicle. I then ran outside, entered my unit, and proceeded to the Galaxy Vape Shop “Code 3” which meant lights and siren.
While en route I was able to overhear the fire department inform radio dispatch to contact “JP” which means Justice of the Peace. White en route I was also able to oversee a fairly large smoke cloud coming from the direction of the Galaxy Vape Shop as I approached the intersection of 5th St. and Yonkers heading westbound.
I then arrived on scene where I exited my unit, unit #28, and was able to see a vehicle that was on fire as it was engulfed in smoke and a large crowd of onlookers. I was also able to hear a male subject yell in a loud fashion to what appeared to have sounded a yell of remorse. The yell was loud to the point I was able to overhear this over the road traffic and onlookers.
I then approached the scene and was able to see the male whom had yelled in a loud fashion which appeared to be distraught and in a sense of despair. The male was identified to be Christopher Cantrell W/M DOB xx/xx/1986. I approached him and asked what happened.
Cantrell began to inform me that “she fell asleep” as he pulled in and all he needed was a f***ing coil. He then said he kilted the car and ran inside and told them what he wanted. Then some guy whom he didn’t identify went inside and said someone’s car was on fire when he noticed it was his.
He then couldn’t go into the car due to it being locked and he couldn’t reach in due to the fire to get his daughter. Cantrell then continued to cry in a loud fashion. I then asked Cantrell multiple times if he wanted to sit inside.
Due to the investigation it was determined Cantrell had left his daughter inside the vehicle that was on fire where she was later pronounced deceased.
Witness my signature this the 16 day of August. 2019
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