Niamh Shackleton
A group of boys are facing charges after their friend was left severely injured after a sleepover 'prank' went wrong.
A 12-year-old boy, whose name has not been released, suffered serious burns after three other boys allegedly poured scolding hot water on his face while he was asleep.
The boys, aged between 12 to 15, claimed it was a prank that went wrong. They're now facing charges in relation to the ordeal that's lead to their friend needing surgery.
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Tiffany, the victim's mom, has spoken out after the incident that took place in Tifton, Georgia, and explained her son is 'in shock' and has been left with second degree burns.
"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 told WALB 10.
The concerned mom went on: "He was transported to the burn center in Augusta. He had to have surgery. Of course, he is out of surgery and is recovering at home, now. But it is going to take him 12-14 days to heal."
The burns center is around 200 miles from the family's home.
Because of the extensive travel between their home and the Augusta-based burns unit, apparently the boy's parents have been left without work.
The boy's aunt went on to say that her nephew 'is gonna have to get counseling to be able to trust people again'.
It's thought that the three boys were taken into custody and later released. They're now awaiting their hearing, which is expected to take place next month.
UNILAD has approached Tifton Police Department for comment.
Sadly, it's not unheard of for people's supposed pranks to go wrong.
Back in December 2021, 22-year-old Conner Groom died after an incident in Essex, UK.
After drinking with friends, the group were 'messing around' at a driving range and kept pushing one another onto the safety nets.
Groom went on to catch his foot in the netting and suffered a traumatic spinal injury.
He died in hospital a month after the ordeal.