A mother was swiftly taken to a medical facility and put into a medically induced unconscious state following allegations that she was covered in gasoline and then set on fire.
Sheriff’s deputies in Tulare County responded to an incident in Porterville at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time on Friday, October 10. They discovered a woman with serious burns on her face, arms, and torso. She was airlifted to the burn unit at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, where she is currently in stable condition but faces a lengthy recovery process.
Sean Hoffman, aged 42, is accused of intentionally pouring a highly flammable substance on her and igniting it, as reported by KFSN. He was apprehended at the location.
The victim has been identified as Sheena, Sean’s wife, by her son through a GoFundMe campaign. The son expressed hope for financial assistance to cover his mother’s expenses during her recovery from what he described as a “horrific domestic violence incident.”
In an interview with KSEE, he mentioned that his mother is in critical condition at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital’s burn unit, with burns covering 25% of her body.
A spokesperson from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office stated that deputies found the woman with severe burns and revealed that Sean Hofmann deliberately poured a highly flammable substance on or near her, causing her to catch fire.
The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office announced that Hofmann faces charges including attempted murder, torture, mayhem, arson causing significant bodily harm, and domestic violence. Additional charges with special allegations have been added, stating that the crimes were violent, caused injury, involved a deadly weapon, and were reportedly committed while on bail.
Hofmann entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment, according to KFSN.
To support the victim, donations can be made through the GoFundMe page.
For those in need of assistance, the Samaritans offer a free helpline open 24/7 at 116 123. Alternatively, help can be accessed via email or by visiting their website to locate the nearest branch.
