A 12-year-old boy in Georgia was hospitalized with severe burns requiring surgery after friends allegedly poured scalding water on his face during a sleepover “prank.”
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The unsuspecting boy was asleep at a neighbor’s apartment in Tifton, Georgia, while three other boys, aged 12 to 15, were playing video games nearby, according to his mother, Tiffany West, per local outlet WALB.
West explained that one of the boys decided to play a prank by pouring hot water on the 12-year-old, which left him with second-degree burns, mainly on his face. Second-degree burns typically heal within two to three weeks and often result in scarring, per Medical News Today.
West’s son was taken to a burn center in Augusta, where he underwent surgery. He is now recovering at home, she shared with the outlet.
The mother admitted she was enraged by the reckless stunt that left her child injured.
“I mean, I really can’t describe it now. In that moment I was just mad, hurt, in shock. Everything, I was seeing red. I was just trying to hurry up and get him some help,” she recalled.
The Burned Boy’s Family Worries About His Emotional Wellbeing Following the ‘Prank’
Meanwhile, Nachelle Austile, the boy’s aunt, voiced her concerns about his emotional well-being.
“He numb, he numb about it,” Austile explained. “I know like, you got to be in shock to know that your friends is capable of this type of thing, like somebody that you trusted, like he never thought that this would be like happening to him”
The family is fighting for justice while dealing with recovery and financial struggles. Austile said both West and the boy’s father have been unable to work since it happened. With a recovery period expected to last 12 to 14 days, their financial challenges continue to mount.
“My brother and Tiffany have been out of work since this happened with all the traveling,” Austile explained. “She is still gonna be out of work to take care of him while he is recovering. She needs to be here for him.”
Austile added that her nephew would require counseling to heal emotionally from the incident and regain his ability to trust others.
According to the WALB, the three boys were arrested. However, they were later released into the custody of their families as they await their court hearings next month.