Brooklyn man held without bail after allegedly setting pregnant woman on fire
Kenneth Rickenbacher, 44, appeared in court in handcuffs with bandages wrapped around his head and both hands.
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A Brooklyn man accused of setting the mother of his child on fire was ordered held without bail Monday after prosecutors described an attack witnessed by the couple’s child.
Kenneth Rickenbacher, 44, appeared in court in handcuffs with bandages wrapped around his head and both hands. His attorney pointed out burns to those areas and injuries to his lips.
Rickenbacher faces charges including attempted murder, assault, arson, criminal mischief and endangering the welfare of a child, according to police.
Prosecutors said he argued with Vanessa Edmonds around 5:09 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, then threatened her and their child with a knife. He is accused of throwing rubbing alcohol on Edmonds and setting her on fire inside an apartment at 108 Kingsborough Walk.
A parole officer told the court Edmonds is pregnant.
Prosecutors said their 11-year-old child witnessed the attack and later told police Rickenbacher had threatened to hurt both the child and Edmonds if the child told anyone what happened.
Responding officers found smoke coming from the apartment and heard screaming, according to prosecutors. Inside, they saw fire damage to a mattress.
Edmonds suffered severe burns to her face, shoulders, back and hands and was taken to the Cornell burn center in Manhattan, prosecutors said. She was later placed in a medically induced coma.
Prosecutors also described a different account Rickenbacher gave police. He claimed Edmonds had rubbing alcohol on her hand and swung at him. He said she caught fire when he pushed her away while smoking a cigarette.
Prosecutors said he called 911 and left the scene. He was later arrested after going to the 113th Precinct to report the fire.
Jonathan Calixto's previous reporting:
The judge issued two full orders of protection, barring Rickenbacher from contacting the two people named in the orders, including through someone else.
His attorney reserved the right to request bail later.
Rickenbacher is due back in court Oct. 30. Separate hearings on his alleged parole violations are scheduled for Nov. 2 and Nov. 9.
