12-Year-Old Georgia Boy Suffers Severe Burns After 3 Friends Pour Boiling Water on Him During Sleepover ‘Prank’

In Tifton, Georgia, a 12-year-old boy was sleeping at his neighbor’s house when he was cruelly tricked, resulting in second-degree burns, mostly to his face. Three of his friends, ages 12 to 15, were playing video games when one of them thought it was funny and doused the vulnerable sleeping boy with boiling hot water.

The family is devastated by the incident.

After receiving emergency medical care at a burn center in Augusta, the injured boy was released to recuperate at home after undergoing surgery. According to WALB, his mother, Tiffany West, conveyed her deep shock and rage at her son’s friends’ risky and careless behavior.

“I mean, I really can’t describe it now. In that moment I was just mad, hurt, in shock.” West recounted. “Everything, I was seeing red. I was just trying to hurry up and get him some help.”

After being captured, the three offenders were later freed to be with their families until their court appearances the next month.

The victim suffers a severe emotional toll.

The boy’s aunt, Nachelle Austile, noted that he seemed emotionally numb and showed no visible emotion when he got home.

“You got to be in shock to know your friends are capable of doing this to you.” Austile explained. “Like somebody you trusted, it’s just horrible. He never thought something like this would happen to him,”

It usually takes two to three weeks for second-degree burns to heal, and they frequently leave permanent scars.

The family has a lot of obstacles to overcome.

The family’s financial security has been severely impacted by the incident. Due to the circumstances, West and her brother have been unable to work, which has resulted in growing medical bills as well as the continuing costs of the boy’s recovery. Recovery is anticipated to take 12 to 14 days. Medical News Today reports that second-degree burns often take two or three weeks to heal, and that they typically leave the victim with a scar.

“My brother and Tiffany have been unable to work since this incident happened,” Austile noted. “She is still gonna be out of work to take care of him while he is recovering. She needs to be here for him.”

In order to help her nephew deal with the trauma and regain his trust in people, Austile stressed the value of counseling.

A glimmer of hope is provided by community support.

West conveyed her sincere appreciation for the community’s overwhelming support.

West praised her son as a “warrior and strong,” recognizing the importance of each gift, donation, and encouraging message.

“I woke up to SO much LOVE being shown to my son! Words can’t describe how Thankful I am for each & every one of you! It brings tears to my eyes to know that SO many people care for me & my son & we are not alone in this,” Tiffany West gushed in a Facebook post.