A 12-year-old boy in Georgia received second-degree burns and several teenagers are facing serious charges for allegedly dumping scalding hot water on his face during a sleepover.
Three boys aged 12-15 are accused of injuring a friend during a failed prank at a home in Tifton County, according to police.
The victim’s mother, Tiffany West, told WALB10 that the incident occurred during a sleepover at a neighbor’s apartment.
She claimed her son was still asleep when the boys, who were allegedly playing video games, poured hot water on his face.
“He was taken to the burn center in Augusta.” “He had to have surgery,” West told the outlet, adding that her son is now recovering at home but that it will “take him 12 to 14 days to heal.”
West is keeping some details about the incident private, such as her son’s name and when the sleepover took place.
She told WALB how she felt after learning about the alleged prank and her son’s burn injuries.
“I mean, I really can’t describe it now,” West admitted. “At the time, I was angry, hurt, and shocked. Everything I saw was red. I was just trying to get him some help.
The boy’s family is still shocked by what happened.
“You’ve got to be shocked to know your friends are capable of doing this to you,” the boy’s aunt, Nachelle Austille, told WALB. “Like someone you trusted. It’s simply horrible. “He never imagined something like this would happen to him.”
She added that her nephew’s parents have been out of work to care for him and face a long road ahead.
“My brother and Tiffany have been out of work since this happened with all the traveling,” she told me. “She [Tiffany] will still be out of work to care for him while he recovers. She needs to be present for him.”
“Mentally, he is gonna have to get counseling to be able to trust people again,” the aunt said about her nephew, adding that he has been quiet about what happened. “He just don’t have no emotions about it,” Austille said. “He is numb. “He’s numb to it.”
Three minors were charged in the incident and later released to their families, according to WALB. It is unclear what the charges are. The boys are waiting for their first hearing, which is scheduled to take place next month.