GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. – Georgia parents from Gwinnett County who have been evading law enforcement authorities following the death of their 10-year-old daughter in a house fire were captured Wednesday on the Appalachian Trail by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit , authorities said.
William Linn McCue, 47, and Carina Wisniewski McCue, 38, have been charged with first- and second-degree child cruelty, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. The Loganville couple have been on the run for three months following the deadly Easter fire that killed young Zoe McCue. Consequently, they are being held without bond.
The child’s 15-year-old brother has already confessed to deliberately starting the blaze. As a result, he is facing charges of malice murder, felony murder, and first-degree arson, the New York Post reported.
Upon arriving at the April 17 blaze, rescue crews found Zoe dead inside the home. Her remains were located in a makeshift bed set up with bedding in a bathroom tub.
Zoe McCue
Three other surviving McCue children were placed into state protective custody, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
The couple fled following the inferno. Further investigation revealed unsanitary and dangerous living conditions in the home, including nonfunctioning toilets and bathtubs. Moreover, the children had not been to school in years.
According to AJC, state records showed two prior incidents in which the parents were investigated for child abuse including one that led to William McCue’s arrest.
