Father Pleads Guilty to Child Endangerment in Racquet Club Fire Case

The man whose mentally challenged son was left alone and then accidentally started the four-alarm Racquet Club apartments fire that left more than 100 hundred homeless will be sentenced in the next 60 days.

Hugh McKavanagh, 59, of Levittown, plead guilty to one count of misdemeanor child endangerment before a county judge in Doylestown on Wednesday. A county judge will sentence him in he next 60 days pending court-ordered alcohol dependence evaluation and treatment.

McKavanagh was charged in late summer for leaving his 16-year-old son home alone inside apartment B 20 while he went out to drink with friends. The boy caused the fire when he emptied an ashtray with hot embers into the kitchen trash in an effort to help clean up. From there, a fire started and ended up engulfing the large B building in the Mdidletown Township apartment complex, authorities say. His 16-year-old son functions at the level of a child aged four and six years.

Deputy District Attorney Mark Furber told LevittownNow.com McKavanagh was ordered as a condition of bail to seek treatment for an “extremely serious drinking problem” by Judge Rea Boylan. He added the judge said McKavanagh’s actions between now and sentencing were important.

“There appeared to be no efforts to stop drinking,” Furber said.

The fire was spotted by McKavanagh as he walked back to his apartment to change clothes, police said. He was changing clothes so he could go with his friends to Parx Casino in Bensalem.

The 16-year-old boy, with the help of McKavanagh’s friends, jumped from the second floor balcony, police said. He was taken to St. Mary Medical Center and treated for an arm injury and smoke inhalation, while his father suffered burns to his feet and was transported for treatment.

A medic who arrived to treat McKavanagh said the injured man was drinking alcohol outside the C building as the massive fire raged on, according to court documents.

Police said a detective spoke with McKavanagh at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia several hours after the fire; the smell of alcohol on McKavanagh’s breath was picked up by that detective.

McKavanagh showed up with alcohol on his breath at his pre-scheduled October preliminary hearing and was visibly intoxicated when he was arraigned.

An official said McKavanagh’s drinking problem was so serious he suffered physical symptoms of alcohol withdraw. He also admitted to medical staff that he consumed an average of a half case of beer a day, court papers say.

Before his arrest, several residents heckled McKavanagh and his ex-wife and some reportedly called him a “drunk.” Police were called for at least one of the disputes.

McKavanagh has several prior arrest dating back to the 1970s. It was announced in court one prior was for assault and the other for arson. He also has a 2008 DUI arrest.

Furber said sentencing guidelines allow for those guilty of misdemeanor child endangerment to be imprisoned for a maximum of a decade.

As a condition of bail, McKavanagh is not to have unsupervised contact with his son. Some of his children, including the 16 year old, and ex-wife moved to Florida in early November.

McKavanagh’s attorney was not immediately available for comment as of late Wednesday afternoon.

Previous:

• PHOTOS & VIDEO: 4-Alarm Fire at Racquet Club Apartments
• WATCH: Helmet Cam Footage & Scanner Traffic from Racquet Club Fire
• Levittown Heroes Receive Standing Ovation
• Young Racquet Club Residents Honored for Extreme Heroism
• Baseball Card Collection Found in Fire Rubble
• Despite Loss, Fire Victims Feel ‘Blessed”
• Donations Pour in for Fire Victims
• Overhead Images Show Extent of Fire Damage
• 4-Alarm Fire Investigation Ongoing; 4 Hurt
• Young Boy Springs Into Action, Saves Residents in Racquet Club Blaze
• Perspectives From the Fire at Racquet Club Apartments
• How to Help the Fire Victims 
• Cause of Massive Fire Revealed, Man Charged
• Suspected Charged in Racquet Club Fire Headed to Trial