Texan child, 8, was chained to a tree and set on fire on his birthday before exposing the killer on his deathbed

Texan child, 8, was chained to a tree and set on fire on his birthday before exposing the killer on his deathbed

Nearly a decade has passed since evil Don Collins was convicted of a heinous murder after his victim recorded a dying admission on video.

His heinous act wreaked havoc on his neighbor, Robbie Middleton, who was celebrating his eighth birthday at the time – until it turned into a nightmare.

Collins, 13, restrained Robbie to a tree, soaked him in gasoline, and set him on fire in an act of heinous cruelty. Despite burns covering 99% of his body, Robbie miraculously survived for over a decade before succumbing to skin cancer, a result of his harrowing ordeal.

In February 2015, Collins was sentenced to 40 years in prison. After the trial, Robbie’s mother, Colleen, stated: “He [Collins] just had the deadest looking expression on his face and eyes, and they just looked cold.”

“Even as a child, when I looked at him, he had no expression. His eyes were simply blank.

Robbie awoke on June 28, 1998, as any other eight-year-old would on their birthday: filled with excitement.

A new tent awaited him, which he planned to share with a friend before rejoining his family to continue the celebrations in Splendora, Texas.

While walking home to his family, Robbie came across Collins, who had allegedly raped him two weeks before. Collins, fearing exposure, doused Robbie with gasoline and set him on fire.

Robbie, his skin melting away, miraculously made his way out of the woods and home, where his mother discovered him. The sight was heartbreaking; her little boy was unrecognizable and forever changed.

At the hospital, it was clear that only the soles of his feet had survived the severe burns, and doctors questioned his survival. Against all odds, Robbie underwent over 150 surgeries and numerous skin grafts, fighting valiantly for another decade.

Despite his severe disfigurement, Robbie’s resilience and outlook were remarkable, even saying, “The past is, well, the past.” “You must let it go.”

His strength was a beacon for his loved ones, but his journey became more difficult. Growth spurts necessitated repeated skin grafts and relearning to walk, and he eventually developed skin cancer as a result of the extensive third-degree burns.

Tragically, Robbie died in April 2011, at the age of 20. However, just a few days before his death, he recorded a video that revealed Collins’ actions.

In the 27-minute testimony, Robbie revealed that Collins had raped him prior to the fatal assault.

Collins, who had failed to report as a sex offender, was already in prison when Robbie’s death was ruled homicide. Five months after Robbie’s tragic death, Collins was charged with felony murder after a deathbed video was used as evidence.

In the harrowing footage, brave Robbie recounted: “Don grabbed me by the shoulder and threw gas in my face, after that I don’t really remember anything.”

Collins, who had previously been accused of killing a kitten, was arrested shortly after the attack but later released without charge. The release of the startling video years later resulted in his not guilty plea. Other witnesses at the trial accused him of sexual violence, claiming he threatened to burn them if they told the truth.

Robbie’s mother revealed that a “perfect outline” of her son’s form had been burned into a tree following the brutal attack.

Collins was sentenced to 40 years in prison, and Colleen expressed her sense of justice, saying, “I’m sure Robert is with us and happy. He was certain that Don was to blame.

“I’m going to enjoy the day and not worry about anything else. I am enjoying the moment and am very happy.”

In a civil judgment against Collins, parents Colleen and Bobby received a record-breaking $150 billion.

Colleen responded to the symbolic gesture, saying, “We’re never going to see any money. What we thought was that these people should understand that Robert, like everyone else’s child, did not deserve this.

“When they returned with the $150 billion, I said, ‘They get it.'” And that made me feel great.”

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