A mother was swiftly taken to the hospital and put into a medically induced coma following allegations that she was soaked in gasoline and set on fire. Tulare County sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence in Porterville at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time on Friday, October 10, where they discovered a woman with severe burns on her face, arms, and torso. She was airlifted to the burn unit at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital and is currently in stable condition, although her recovery journey is expected to be lengthy.
Sean Hoffman, aged 42, has been accused of intentionally pouring a highly flammable substance on her and igniting it, as reported by KFSN. He was apprehended at the scene. The victim, identified as Sheena, Sean’s wife, has been the subject of a GoFundMe campaign initiated by her son, who expressed hope for financial assistance with her medical bills during her recovery from what he described as a “horrific domestic violence incident.”
In an interview with KSEE, the son mentioned that his mother is in intensive care at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital’s burn unit, having sustained burns on 25% of her body. A spokesperson from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office stated that deputies found the victim with severe burns and learned that Sean Hofmann had deliberately used a highly flammable accelerant to set her on fire.
The spokesperson added that the victim was transported to a nearby hospital, where she is in stable condition, while Hofmann was arrested without resistance. The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office charged Hofmann with attempted murder, torture, mayhem, arson causing great bodily harm, and domestic violence, along with various enhancements due to the violent nature of the crimes and the alleged use of a deadly weapon while on bail.
Hofmann entered a plea of not guilty at his arraignment, according to KFSN. For those willing to contribute, donations can be made to the GoFundMe page. In case of any personal struggles and the need to talk, the Samaritans offer a free helpline at 116 123, with email support available at jo@samaritans.org, or local branches can be found on their website.