Parents of Gwinnett County girl killed in house fire caught on Appalachian Trail
Carina Wisniewski McCue and William Linn McCue (Gwinnett County Police Department)
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Two Gwinnett County parents who have been on the run following the death of their daughter in a house fire have been caught on the Appalachian Trail, deputies say.
William Linn McCue, 47, and Carina Wisniewski McCue, 38, both of Loganville, have been charged with both first- and second-degree child cruelty.
The charges against the couple surfaced following the deadly fire on Easter Sunday that claimed the life of 10-year-old Zoe McCue. Her 15-year-old brother was charged with first-degree arson, malice murder, and felony murder.
Zoe McCue
On April 17, fire crews arrived at a home on Beaver Road just before 5 a.m. to find a single-story home consumed in flames. Firefighters were initially encumbered by a small wood line in front of the home. Rescue crews worked to find the two children who were not accounted for at the time.
They ended up finding Zoe dead inside the home in a makeshift bed set up with bedding in the tub in the bathroom.
Officials found the teenager about four hours after the fire outside the home. Investigators later determined he was responsible for the deadly fire.
Fire alarms were installed in the home, but it was not clear if they were operational at the time.
Couple wanted for child cruelty after deadly fire investigation
After an intentional fire at a Loganville home claimed the life of a 10-year-old girl, investigators focused on the living conditions of the children inside. The girl's parents are now wanted on child cruelty charges. Their 15-year-old son was charged with murder in connection with the fire.
A separate investigation was launched following the fire after officials found unsanitary and dangerous living conditions in the home. Investigators said they found improvised camping-style toilet seat buckets and non-usable toilets with septic tanks not working or full, water from the faucet was redirected to a five-gallon bucket sitting on the floor, and the showers and the bathtubs did not appear to be functioning.
Police also discovered the children had not been to school in years.
Investigators attempted to speak with the couple, but they fled, leading deputies searching for them and their 2017 white Honda Accord.
After weeks of investigation, deputies tracked the McCues down to a part of the Appalachian Trail. Both William and Carina were apprehended and transported to the Gwinnett County Police Department for questioning.
The couple are now held without bond charged with child cruelty.