A sleepover prank turned tragic when three boys poured boiling water on a 12-year-old boy while he slept, causing severe burns.
The incident occurred in Tifton, Georgia, at the boy’s neighbor’s apartment, where he was staying overnight with friends.
While the victim was asleep, the other boys, aged between 12 and 15, were playing video games.
According to the boy’s mother, Tiffany West, one of the boys decided it would be a funny prank to pour scalding water on the child’s face.
The boy, who has not been named, suffered second-degree burns, mostly on his face, and was immediately transported to a burn center in Augusta. He underwent surgery and is now recovering at home.
The mother, visibly distraught, expressed her anger and disbelief. “I mean, I really can’t describe it now. At that moment I was just mad, hurt, in shock.
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Everything, I was seeing red. I was just trying to hurry up and get him some help,” Ms. West told reporters.
The three boys involved in the prank were arrested but released to their families as they await their court hearings next month.
The victim’s aunt, Nachelle Austile, spoke about the emotional toll the incident had on the boy. “He’s numb about it,” she said.
“You got to be in shock to know your friends are capable of doing this to you. Like somebody you trusted, it’s just horrible.”
The incident has shocked the community, raising concerns over the dangerous nature of pranks that can quickly go wrong, especially among young people.