Woman, 71, Is Accused of Setting Her Husband Afire : Crime: The attack occurred after her cancer-stricken mate ate a chocolate Easter bunny she was saving for herself, police say. Incident may have been a result of a longstanding fight, they add.

An elderly woman was arrested early Friday after she allegedly doused her cancer-stricken husband with rubbing alcohol and set him on fire for eating a chocolate Easter bunny she had saved for herself, police said.

June E. Carter, 71, who went shopping after the alleged attack and did not call paramedics for more than eight hours, was booked into Orange County Jail on a single charge of attempted murder. Bail was set at $250,000.

“She decided to punish him because he had eaten her chocolate Easter bunny,” said Maureen Haacker, a Santa Ana police spokeswoman. “She apparently doused him with rubbing alcohol, lit a match and threw it at him. She told officers that she then left for the store because she was still very angry.”

Her spouse of more than 30 years, Paul Franklin Carter, 62, was taken to the burn unit at UCI Medical Center in Orange, where he was listed in serious condition with second- and third-degree burns covering 20% of his body. Most of the burns are on his left arm, chest and abdomen, the hospital reported.

Carter, who is partially paralyzed and uses a wheelchair, is dying of cancer, police said. He has been under the care of his wife.

The incident began about 5 p.m. Thursday in the couple’s apartment on the 800 block of South Lyon Street. After allegedly tossing a match at her spouse, June Carter left the apartment to go to the store, returning about two hours later.

Police said she finally called the Fire Department about 1:30 a.m. after her husband told her he could no longer stand the pain. Paramedics arrived and summoned police.

“My aunt is 71 and caring for a man who has cancer,” said Cheryl Jefferson of Irvine, the Carters’ niece. “It is difficult. I’m sure if she thinks back on it, she would not have done it. She’s never been arrested a day in her life and to have something like this happen is like a family tragedy.”

Based on interviews with June Carter, police said that what happened might have been the result of a longstanding fight and the emotions of having to deal with her husband’s lengthy illness. Haacker said, however, that police had no reports of trouble at the Carter home until Friday’s incident.

“It’s bizarre. I don’t think we’ve ever had something quite like this,” Haacker said. “Domestic violence happens, and the motive usually starts with something petty. Family problems can go unnoticed until they reach a boiling point like this.”

According to police, June and Paul Carter apparently have quarreled repeatedly over his habit of eating sweets and snacks that she intended for herself.

“Maybe he had been ill for a very long time and things just emotionally caught up with her,” said Police Lt. Robert Helton. “Something as insignificant as eating a chocolate Easter bunny could have been the catalyst that set her off.”