A 73-year-old man in Texas was killed in a startling occurrence after his own son allegedly lit their house on fire and ran away, trapping his father inside.
Floyd Hadley, who was unable to move, managed to make a last-ditch 911 call for assistance before being discovered dead in a bathtub, according to authorities.
A Tragic Fire and an Urgent Request for Assistance
Around 3:37 p.m. on July 21, 2025, a house on Chilton Drive in Baytown, Texas, caught fire. Inside, Floyd Hadley could not get out of the fire. He managed to call 911 before the fire engulfed him.
According to the criminal complaint filed in Harris County, Floyd called dispatchers and told them that his house was on fire and that he was unable to escape.
But it was already too late when firefighters showed up. Floyd Hadley was discovered dead in a bathtub, where he had most likely attempted to escape the fire.
The actions of the son and the alleged arson
The victim’s 40-year-old son, Clinton Hadley, is charged with starting the fire. The complaint claims that just after Clinton left the house, the fire started. Clinton is said to have fled the scene, jumped a fence, and driven off in a Toyota Corolla, according to neighbor video footage.
Police investigated and discovered that the house’s gas meter looked to have been damaged or tampered with, which further raised the possibility of criminal activity.
Later that day, Clinton tried to set fire to a business in Louisiana and was taken into custody. According to the police, he acknowledged purposefully lighting the furnishings in the Baytown home where his father passed away on fire.
In police interrogation, Clinton allegedly admitted to the crime, saying he “wanted to burn the house down and get away from his family.”
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Mental Health Issues and Prior Caution
According to reports, Clinton Hadley has a history of mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia. Clinton threatened to set the house on fire, so the day before the fire, Clinton’s aunt called the police for a welfare check.
Shortly after receiving the call, police discovered the house completely destroyed by fire.
According to Clinton’s aunt, the assistance check resulted from his discussions of burning down the house. Floyd Hadley died in the fire, but the awful incident nevertheless happened in spite of these warning indications.
Arrest and Court Cases
About 30 miles from New Orleans, in Slidell, Louisiana, Clinton Hadley was apprehended. He allegedly threatened to set a structure on fire in an attempt to obtain gas money. He was taken into custody and accused of terrorizing, resisting arrest, and staying in a location after being told not to.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office charged him with murder when he was taken into custody. He is currently being extradited back to Texas by Louisiana authorities in collaboration with Texas officials.
A devastating reminder of the significance of mental health awareness and intervention is provided by this heartbreaking example of a son who allegedly set fire to his home and abandoned his incapacitated father to die.
The incident also serves as a reminder of the peril of untreated mental health conditions and the terrible toll they can take on families.
It is evident that this terrible incident has had a profound effect on the Baytown community as officials look into it and work toward justice.
