Simi Valley Man Abusive, Son Says

The 11-year-old son of a Simi Valley woman accused of conspiring to burn and beat her husband to death testified Tuesday that his father was mean and abusive.

The boy and his 9-year-old brother were called to the witness stand by the prosecution to describe events surrounding a March 25 fire allegedly set by their mother and half-sister.

Eileen Childs, 37, and Jennifer Childs, 19, are accused of trying to kill Larry Childs, 57, by setting fire to his mattress and beating him with baseball bats as he ran from the flames.

Each is charged with attempted murder, arson and the use of deadly weapons. Eileen Childs also faces child endangerment charges because her sons were in the home at the time of the fire.

Prosecutors contend the mother and daughter conspired to kill Larry Childs to collect on $1.4 million in life insurance. But defense lawyers say the two acted in self-defense when the abusive father flew into a rage after a candle accidentally sparked a fire in his bedroom.

On Tuesday, the boys testified that they awoke during the night to hear their father screaming: “The house is on fire! Help me! I’m on fire!”

Arms flailing, Larry Childs ran around the house while Jennifer Childs led the brothers outside, the older boy testified.

The younger brother told jurors his sister went back inside. He said he later saw her blocking his father at the front door, yelling: “Don’t go near the boys!”

During previous testimony, Larry Childs told jurors that his wife and stepdaughter attacked him with bats. He denied being an abusive father and husband, and rejected a suggestion that his wife sometimes put herself between him and the children to protect them from abuse.

But his 11-year-old son told jurors that Eileen Childs had stepped in to prevent his father from hitting him and his siblings. The boy testified that his father sometimes hit him for no reason, and did the same to his mother and sister.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Lisa Lee questioned whether the defendants had influenced the boy’s testimony.

The 11-year-old, who is now living with his brother and maternal grandparents, said he talks to his mother on the phone every other night but that his feelings toward his father predated her arrest.

“I still love him,” he said.

The boy added, however, that he became upset when his father obtained a restraining order to prevent his sister from talking to him from jail where she and Eileen Childs remain held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

After uttering the statement, the boy cried and buried his face in his hands. Superior Court Judge Herbert Curtis called a recess until today.