Stemen
LIMA — A three-year-old has died and her father is in custody after a car caught fire on Zion Church Road Wednesday night.
According to a news release from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 9:51 p.m. dispatch received a call about an irrational driver who was swerving and possibly driving on a wheel rim. While en route, deputies were advised the vehicle came to a stop on Zion Church Road near Shenk Road and caught fire.
The car was fully engulfed in flames when deputies arrived. The driver, Nicholas Matthew Stemen, 33, of Elida, exited the car without injuries. When American Township firefighters extinguished the fire, they found Stemen’s daughter, Lillyanna Stemen, in the back seat. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Stemen was taken to jail on a felonious endangering children charge. The release said the incident is still under investigation with additional charges expected.
