Feb 20, 2008 5:37 am US/Central
Second Brother Dies After Being Set On Fire
Boys' Father Held On $10 Million Bond
MAYWOOD, Ill. (CBS) ―
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Vishv Patel, 7, died Feb. 19, two months after being set on fire -- allegedly by his father.
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Om Patel, 4, died Jan. 17 after being burned.
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Kaushik Patel, 34, is charged with his setting his sons on fire.
CBS
A 7-year-old Glendale Heights boy whose father is accused of setting him on fire has died, just over a month after his younger brother.
As CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman reports, Vishv Patel, 7, was pronounced dead at 10:52 p.m. at Loyola University Medical Center, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. He died following severe burns he suffered in November.
His brother Om Patel, 4, who had similar injuries, passed away on Jan. 17.
Their father, Kaushik Patel, 34, has been charged with multiple criminal counts. He has been charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated arson and one count of attempted first-degree murder.
DuPage County Judge Daniel Guerin set bond for Kaushik Patel at $10 million this past Friday.
It has not been learned if or when prosecutors might bring a second first-degree murder charge in Vishv's death, but even the charges Kaushik Patel now faces could land him in prison for life.
Prosecutors accuse Patel of dousing his sons with gasoline in the bathtub of their Glendale Heights home, setting them on fire, and then driving the critically injured boys to his brother's home in Hanover Park. Family members contacted emergency services.
Patel himself also suffered burns, and he and his sons were airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.
Their mother, Nisha Patel, was not at home at the time of the incident, but was granted an order of protection keeping her husband away from Vishv. Following the tragic events, at least one neighbor spoke with her.
"She told me, 'There was a fire in my house and my kids are burned really bad.' The grandmother was in the back seat, she was really sobbing," said neighbor Daisy Kalapurackal. "I guess she was in shock."
Kaushik Patel has not yet been indicted but is expected to be before an arraignment hearing set for March 17, to DuPage County State's Attorney's office spokesman Paul Darrah said.
CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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