Local Man Arrested for Arson that Killed 3 yr old.
By: John Clay
Updated: November 16, 2012
Altoona Police say 62 year old Aaron Wilson Dishong started a fire around 6:30 this morning that killed a 3 year old boy.
Police say Dishong, who's from East Freedom, was stalking an ex-girlfriend. Police say he thought the woman was in the house and set fire to it to kill her.
The fire was at a duplex at 113 South 2nd street in the East End of Altoona. There was a family of four living in the side of the duplex where police say Dishong started the fire.
The woman living there was able to get her 2-year-old daughter out by helping her jump from the roof of a porch. But she couldn't get back in to save her 3-year-old son before he died. Both mother and daughter were flown to Pittsburgh hospitals where they are in critical condition.
The two college students living in the other side of the duplex heard screaming from outside. That alerted them to the fire and they were able to get out.
The 3 year old boy, Daryl Etchison, Jr. that died in the fire was a student at the Learning Express at Curtin Preschool.
The Altoona Area School District says they have grief counselors available for students, parents and staff.
