Homeless man accused of raping 3 kids

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN - A homeless man, taken in by a Dayton mother as an act of kindness, has been accused of raping her three children.

Craig Baum, 30, was arrested for rape, accused of assaulting the children, three, five, and 10 years old.

But he's not behind bars. Instead, he's under guard at Miami Valley Hospital after being beaten by a relative of the victims who got to him before the police.

"He has some serious head and facial injuries," said Sgt. Tom Flanders. "One eye is exceptionally bad. They're calling in a specialist for that."

The victims mother took Baum in to her home off Xenia Avenue to try to help him get back on his feet.

But she soon became suspicious and Baum took off. A few days later, police said a relative of the victims tracked Baum down.

"There's a lot of people out there who have big hearts who come to regret it," Flanders said. "She was trying to do good for her fellow man, and it didn't work so well this time."

Flanders said the victims' relative could face charges in the assault of Baum.