Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Police Consider Kidnapping Charges Against Man

Tragedy struck Nevada County Tuesday, Nov. 11, when a fire claimed the life of a four-year-old boy.

According to Nevada County Sheriff Steve Otwell, the call came in shortly after noon about a house fire in the Upchurch Community off county road 290. Actually, the fire consumed a mobile home with additions built on.

Smoke could be seen from Highway 24, he said.

Two children were in the structure with their grandmother at the time of the fire. Otwell said Barbara Hardaman almost died after first bringing out Brittany Nicole, 21-months, and going back for Brian McDuffy.

While she was able to save the toddler, Hardaman couldn't rescue her grandson. Her efforts left her with second degree burns over 25 percent of her body, mainly on her back.

She was transported from the scene by Nevada County Ambulance to Medical Park Hospital in Hope. Otwell said the last he had heard was Hardaman was still in intensive care, but had been stabilized.

The fire, he said, apparently began in a wood burning stove in the addition. Arson, at this time, is not suspected, but the investigation is being continued by the Arkansas State Police.

Otwell said he arrived at the scene within 10 minutes of the call and the structure was already fully engulfed in flames, with the walls and roof of the addition caving in. Firefighters from the Redland Volunteer Fire Department, the Nevada County Rescue Unit and the Laneburg VFD arrived to battle the blaze.

The child's body, Otwell said, was found near the entrance of a hallway by the living room.

He said the exit at what may be the front of the trailer was where the add on was. This prevented the child from leaving that way. Otwell said the boy was apparently looking for another way out when he was overcome by smoke.

The preliminary autopsy report on the child shows he died of smoke inhalation.

ARREST MADE

A 22-year-old man was arrested shortly before midnight Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Exit 46 Citgo station.

According to Otwell, Remond A. Post, was arrested and charged with simple possession of marijuana (possession of less than an ounce), paraphernalia and terroristic threatening. He could also possibly be charged with kidnapping.

The NCSO received a call concerning an armed man yelling at a woman in a restroom at the convenience store.

When deputies arrived, they approached the vehicle Post was in, getting consent to search from the woman involved, as it was apparently her car. Officers found rolling papers and a small amount of marijuana in a cassette tape case under the seat on the passenger's side of the vehicle.

However, no weapon was found at the scene. The woman, who was not identified, claimed there was a handgun involved, but no one else saw the weapon.

She also claimed Post brought her to Nevada County against her will from the Texarkana, Texas area.