Man ‘lit a cigarette too close’ to wife he’d just rubbed with alcohol, setting her on fire, waited 2 days to call for help: Police
Henry Jacob Hardwick (Albany, Georgia Police Department)
A 64-year-old man in Georgia was arrested this week after he allegedly set his special-needs wife on fire inside their home, leaving the woman in pain for two days before finally seeking help.
Henry Jacob Hardwick was taken into custody on Wednesday and charged with one count of felony aggravated assault — family violence — for the injuries allegedly inflicted on 67-year-old Amanda Jenkins, jail records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
According to a press release from the Albany, Georgia Police Department, officers responded to a call at about 7:39 p.m. on Tuesday about a patient being treated for severe burns at Phoebe Putney Hospital, about 160 miles south of Atlanta.
Once there, officers learned that emergency medical personnel had picked up Jenkins earlier that day from her residence in the 400 block of Bobbitt Drive. Medics said Jenkins was unresponsive and suffered burns to about 25% of her lower extremities.
Police then responded to the Bobbitt Drive home, where they contacted Hardwick.
When questioned by police, he allegedly said he was rubbing alcohol on his wife because she was in a great deal of pain “from her condition of multiple sclerosis (MS)” two days earlier. While applying the alcohol to his wife’s skin, “he lit a cigarette too close to her, causing her body to catch fire,” police said he told investigators.
But instead of immediately seeking help, Hardwick allegedly told police he “panicked” and was too “scared to call for help.” Hardwick waited two days before calling Jenkins’ daughter, who came to their home, saw that her mother was “in need of severe treatment” and called 911, authorities said.
Due to the severity, she was taken to the Augusta Burn Unit for specialized treatment.
Hardwick was booked into the Dougherty County Jail He without bond on Wednesday, records show.
Authorities said Hardwick is expected to be charged with additional criminal offenses and requested that anyone with information contact Crime Stoppers at 229-436-TIPS or an investigator at 229-854-0103.
Court records reviewed by Law&Crime Friday afternoon show that Hardwick was charged in April with simple battery — family violence, domestic trespass — family violence, and obstructing or hindering persons making an emergency telephone call. He was released on bond on April 12 on the condition that he “stay away, absolutely, directly or indirectly” from Amanda Jenkins, referred to in the order as the “victim.”
He pleaded guilty to all three charges on May 5, though it is unclear what consequences he faced. Police did not immediately respond to a message from Law&Crime seeking that information.
