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October 16, 2009 1:10 PM

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Boy Burned By Bullies, Michael Brewer's Horrifying 911 Call

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: 911

(MySpace Photo)

Photo: Michael Brewer.

MIAMI (CBS/AP) Michael Brewer, the 15-year-old teen who police say was set ablaze by five other boys, screamed in agony as a breathless 911 caller pleaded for help because "a little boy just caught on fire," according to a recording released Friday.

WFOR-TV: 911 Call (WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT) (WAV)

In the most dramatic of four emergency calls released by the Broward County Sheriff's Office, the relentless, guttural cries of the burning teen often drown out the woman who is dialing dispatchers.

"A little boy just caught on fire!" the unidentified woman says, barely able to catch her breath to give her address.

Prompted by the dispatcher during the eight-minute call, the woman asks the boy, "How did this happen?" He cries: "I don't know! I don't know!" Paramedics later ask him who is responsible for his burns, but he again says he doesn't know.

In a second call made by another woman, the dispatcher asks: "They put gas on him and they lit him on fire?" She replies: "Uh-huh."

In all, authorities recorded calls totaling 28 minutes — some rather calm, detached reporting of the facts, while the boy's anguish is evident in others.

(CBS)

Photo: Fifteen year-old Michael Brewer is suffering from burns on three-quarters of his body.

Five teens are charged with aggravated battery in Brewer's burning Monday at a Deerfield Beach apartment complex, which authorities said was prompted by a dispute over a video game that escalated when someone tried to steal a bicycle that belonged to the boy's father.

The teen accused of flicking the lighter after Brewer was doused with rubbing alcohol also faces an attempted second-degree murder charge. All of the teens face the possibility of having their cases moved to adult court.

Brewer's doctor said he is doing as well as can be expected, but faces years of skin grafts, therapy and surgery, and that potentially fatal organ failure and infections are common in cases so severe.

WFOR-TV: 911 Call (WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT) (WAV)

MORE ON CRIMESIDER
October 15, 2009 - Boy Burned by Bullies, Mother Says Michael Brewer Staying Strong

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by the_new_patriot August 24, 2010 7:51 AM EDT: I Think the attackers of this young man should have been charged for attempted murder. These evil little wastes of flesh should be burned for what they did litterly,set alight. People take zero responsibility for the children that they have these days.Idiots make excuses for attackers i.e. They should not live in a better neigborhood. Since when is it wrong to be poor? Maybe stop having the t.v. and video games raise kids. Try taking a active role in your childs life as well as teach them something useful like there are consequences for your actions. I think in this case they should have been dire.; Reply to this comment

by vedmond November 11, 2009 10:04 PM EST

?Moral of the story: pay what you owe, and you won't be doused in flammable liquid and set on fire.? ?Jay; post from another forum

I?ll add to Jay?s observation: There is no justice in this world. I know as adults we're all thinking, "awwww... poooor young blond boy... all over $40!... how could those animals!?!" But you know, $40 is a fortune to kids. Imagine you lend a rich co-worker an emergency $40,000 to help him buy a condo because he can't free up his stocks in time for a good deal. This is money you've been saving up for your first house. He decides to be a jerk and not pay you back, and so you make a bad decision and steal a painting of his worth $100,000, hoping he'll change his mind. Instead, he gets his police buds to arrest you and hires a high end lawyer to give you 5 years in prison. You come out, your sweetheart has married someone else, and in your anger you break the guy's legs with a baseball bat. He's so scared he has a heart attack, but recovers, but you are put in prison for the rest of your life for attempted murder and the rich jerk gets celebrity status, book deals, and a lot of women who are coddling him for being a victim and brave hero. You are hated publicly for being the "rif-raf" that almost took this young gentleman's life! Third moral: Never be a good guy.

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by itsinstantkarma November 12, 2009 4:20 AM EST: O-kaaay....here is what NORMAL PEOPLE (i.e not deviant antisocial psychopaths like yourself) would do in the scenario you just described: if need be, go to COURT, and sue your friend for what he owes you. If you are smart (which you seem not to be), you would have a written agreement detailing the loan that you gave to your rich friend, and you would recoup your money, or (if the court decided against you) shrug it off and keep on living, knowing that you did the right thing, instead of behaving like a mindless savage. It's people like you that are responsible for the kind of kids that think it's okay to set someone on fire because they owe you $40.


by hockeyluver101 December 14, 2009 5:47 PM EST: o because he didnt pay them 40 dollars, you think that gives them the right to set him on fire.HIS LIFE IS WORTH MORE THAN 40 DOLLARS!!!!!


by bginga November 11, 2009 5:15 PM EST: I'm stunned by the CNN reporter, Tony Harris, who seems to have more sympathy towards the three kids who received no bond by the judge, by saying, "You feel bad for the three kids now... their lives changed forever..." He says it here at 1:37 mark: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/11/florida.burned.boy/index.html.; Reply to this comment


by SapphicSirens November 10, 2009 11:26 PM EST: 5 years ago I was making french fries on the stove, somehow they caught on fire , and stupid me tried to p/u the skillet & slowly back out my back door. I didn't realize our puppy was underfoot & flipped over bacwards grease on fire. on me! Like Micheal my clothes melted to my skin. 22% of my chest ,face,etc... required skin grafts. Unlike Micheal ... I am a grown 42 yr. old woman...I have lived. It took a lot of very painful "scrubs" to keep from getting infections & there are no words to describe how painful they are. HE WILL RECOVER. IN 4 years he'll be a happy, healthy 19 year old who's ready to take on the world. I Have To Believe That.
My only wish is that all 5 boys involved be required to attend when Micheal has his burns scrubbed clean. All my best to his family, TAB; Reply to this comment


by SapphicSirens November 10, 2009 11:25 PM EST: 5 years ago I was making french fries on the stove, somehow they caught on fire , and stupid me tried to p/u the skillet & slowly back out my back door. I didn't realize our puppy was underfoot & flipped over bacwards grease on fire. on me! Like Micheal my clothes melted to my skin. 22% of my chest ,face,etc... required skin grafts. Unlike Micheal ... I am a grown 42 yr. old woman...I have lived. It took a lot of very painful "scrubs" to keep from getting infections & there are no words to describe how painful they are. HE WILL RECOVER. IN 4 years he'll be a happy, healthy 19 year old who's ready to take on the world. I Have To Believe That.
My only wish is that all 5 boys involved be required to attend when Micheal has his burns scrubbed clean. All my best to his family, TAB; Reply to this comment


by chefjill21 November 10, 2009 7:58 AM EST: This is an extremely sad story and I couldn't even listen to the 911 call in its entirety without crying. Those children who did this will be punished and should be. Who in their right mind would do such a horrible thing to such a young boy? My thoughts a prayers go out to Michael and his family.; Reply to this comment


by Maximus929 November 5, 2009 6:33 PM EST: I know I shouldn't want this - the Lord says: "Vengeance is mine." so he definitely will be dealing with them when they leave this planet - I'm guessing eternally feeling what this child felt when they set him on fire.

But I think in special circumstances like this where the level of cruelty is so incredibly vile, I think that exactly what is done to the victim should be done to these monsters. Poor alcohol on one leg at a time and set it alight. then the other and so on until their entire body is on fire.
The more pain for them the better.

Then I need to ask for forgiveness for my anger because I have been forgiven my sins which don't seem so grave to me but are still offensive so shouldn't I also forgive? But how Lord?; Reply to this comment


by carlaanne October 31, 2009 6:01 PM EDT: How do you suppose people get away from them when we are poor? What do you do when good childeren are suck around these monsters. When I was twelve, I was shy and poor, I lived in apartments. For no reason, five girls started threatening me with knives and chaseing me from school everyday. I dropped out of eigth grade. I earned my GED. THOSE KIDS RUIN OTHER KIDS LIVES. It is not enough to run away from it. The bad people are moving out to the country, Eastern Shore Maryland has GANGS!! The scum is spreading out, we need to stand up against it, against rude behavior from kids AND adults. People need to be corrected!! laws need to be passed to inciminate wittnesses that don't report crimes. This country's people need to get fed up with hate crimes against whites, blacks, asians, latinos, and others. White people need to stop being afraid to point out when a hate crime towards a white person might have been commited. White people are afraid to appear racist. And why aren't the minorities pointing it out when seems that way? Does anyone really care?; Reply to this comment


by kiminminnesota October 28, 2009 5:03 PM EDT: People -- if want to keep your kids safe DO NOT live near riff raff. Move out to the country or a small town. Commute further. It's not always safe out there either but it sure as hell is safer than living near these low lifes!; Reply to this comment

by carlaanne October 28, 2009 12:45 AM EDT

When are we going to start raising our childeren to have empathy and morral values? We as a society have slipped. All society wants to do is compete with one another. Those kids should get the death penalty or life in prison with no parole. Are we as a society just going to slap them on the wrist like we did with those other boys who beat that crofton kid to death? They got five years, that boy is dead. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with this country today? I think those kids are evil and so are their parents. If it were my kid that set Michael on fire, I would throw him to the wolves. As much as it would hurt me inside my son would have to pay for that type of crime. If it was my son that got burned, I'd waite for those kids to get out. What's wrong with you people, why don't you stand up against bully kids, violent schools(you with money just put your kids in private schools.), Child molesters(why is their so many and why aren't they in jail?) You all are just looking out for your selves. And you can tell that those kids were no good they looked like punks with their little smug faces. Lesson learned don't let your kids hang out with smug, thug wannabees.

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by Maximus929 November 5, 2009 6:37 PM EST: We will raise them with empathy when we fear the Lord. Right now we all do what we think is right to each of us and we see the results.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"

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