Five Charged With Setting Teen on Fire

Teens Allegedly Doused Fla. Boy with Rubbing Alcohol, Lit Him following Dispute over Video Game

(CBS)  Five Florida teenagers have been charged for intentionally setting a 15-year-boy on fire, leaving him hospitalized with burns over 65 percent of his body, reports CBS station WFOR in Miami.

Prosecutors filed attempted murder charges against 15-year-old Jesus Mendez Tuesday afternoon; another teen was charged with aggravated battery. Three other teens had already been charged with aggravated battery in the case.

CBS is not identifying those teens at this time. All five have been charged as juveniles. Four of the suspects are 15 years and one is 13.

The teens are accused of dousing 15-year-old Michael Brewer with rubbing alcohol Monday afternoon and setting him on fire as he sat by the pool at the Lime Tree Village apartments in Deerfield Beach, Fla.

It's "one of the more horrific crimes I have been associated with since I've been with BSO. It's just a horrible, horrible case," said Sgt. Steve Feeley of the Broward Sheriff's Office.

Brewer's mother, Valerie, told WFOR correspondent Carey Codd, "We just don't understand why anyone would do this."

A witness said she saw a group of boys running in the complex so she went outside to investigate.

"Somebody threw something at (Michael)," Providencia Maldonado said. "I don't know if it was gas or alcohol or something and the next thing you know the kid is on fire."

A neighbor, hearing the young man's screams for help, put out the flames with a fire extinguisher, said Brewer's sister, Malissa Durkee.

The teen then ripped off his shirt and jumped into the pool.

Neighbor Jennifer Nielsen, a former lifeguard, heard Michael's screams and ran outside to help. She said she comforted Michael as he screamed in agony.

Nielsen said Brewer's top layer of skin was peeling off; his eyebrows were gone, as was the hair on the right side of his head. Family members said most of his hair, including his eyelashes, had been burned off.

"I'm still shaken up," Neilsen told WFOR. "But I'm happy I was there for that child. I just want that child to be OK."

Brewer was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital. The pain of the burns was so intense that he had to be placed in a medically-induced coma.

According to the Broward Sheriff's Office, one of the juvenile suspects - the alleged ringleader - was owed money by Brewer for a video game. The ringleader allegedly stole Brewer's father's bike as payment, but was caught on Sunday.

Officers arrested the ringleader on Sunday, but he was later released into his parent's custody. On Monday, the five suspects allegedly surrounded Brewer when the ringleader said, "pour it on him, pour it on him," according to Sgt. Feeley.

One of the suspects allegedly poured alcohol on Brewer, and then Mendez allegedly used a lighter to set Brewer on fire, according to the Broward police. The lighter was found by Broward Sheriff's deputies at the scene of the crime.

Monday night, the suspects were in custody and at least two of them were laughing about the burning of Brewer. Mendez showed remorse for the crime, according to Sgt. Feeley. BSO deputies were able to find the suspects with the help of witnesses, who said they were afraid of the ringleader.

According to BSO, all five of the suspects have had run-ins with the law before. Some of the suspects have reportedly confessed to the crime, according to Sgt. Feeley.

"The victim will be in hospital for five months. He has second degree burns over 80 percent of body. He's in for a long, long recovery," said Sheriff Al Lamberti. "The violence in our schools need to stop. I don't know what the answer is. As parents and leaders we need to do a better job teaching our kids right from wrong."

Investigators also said they believe torching the teen was a well-planned attack and not something that just happened by chance.

Even police are shocked by this case.

"When you think you've seen it all and you think people can't be any more cruel, you come up with this," BSO spokesman Jim Leljedal told WFOR correspondent Ted Scouten.

Durkee said her brother, who loves skateboarding and video games, is a good kid who needs his family more than ever.

"I believe he will be able to make it if everybody just prays for him," Durkee said.

[Support4All]

Please support my petition seeking prosecution of all five boys as adults.
http://mbrewer.epetitions.net/

[acorbs13]

First off I would like to say that the Brewer family is in my prayers and I am truly sorry that this happened to your family.

Second off for people to say that this white case getting all the attention and that black people are ignored is stupid (Mr. Mellow1). The last time I checked no matter what color we are in this world we all bleed red. irrespective of race this is a horrific act on another human let a lone a kid.

I also have heard that one of these kids is thirteen years old and that they are trying to figure out what kind of charges should be brought against this kid. I am sorry but I feel that whether you are 13 to 15 years of age you know wright from wrong. I have to be honest but learning wright from wrong is one of the first lessons you learn as you get older. I also think that each of these kids should be charged as adults!!! They know how to commit and adult crime then they should pay the consequences like any other adult would do.

Another thought that comes to mind is what is this world coming to when you set another kid on fire bc he did not give the money for the video game that was talked about??? seriously I feel that there needs to be more parental influence in Americas youth these days as well as the education personal need to be more aware of what is going on in schools and the kids that are going to their schools.

This really is a horrific crime and I am truly sorry for the Brewer family.

[tinkerbell621]

I am really upset about this tragedy and hope that these teens are tried as adult. as a parent i would not know what my reaction would have been if it was one of my own. this is horrible and it is from poor parenting

[allainandrea]

I did not see this horrible tragedy as race related but only saw this story once this am and maybe other details have emerged. I was shocked by this story. Not only will this 15 year old boy suffer for the rest of his life from scars, disfigurement, pain, and anger, there will never be true justice. True justice would prosecute the "juveniles" caretakers who have failed their child in a miserable and inexcusable way. True justice would be swift, inexpensive and painful. True Justice would be for our society to unite and change the way we address violent, remorseless, senseless acts such as these "juvenile" sociopaths acted.

[JustDontUnderstand]

When is this country going to wake up and realize that when God is taken out of the school, children's lives, our homes, that things are going to get WORSE. Children have no HOPE. Without HOPE, there is nothing. No boundaries. If people believe that when we die we simply go to the ground and that is the end....why not do whatever you want? There is no consequence for your actions. WAKE UP! We WILL be judged for the things we do here on this Earth. Good and Bad. Thank God that he sent JESUS to die for OUR SINS. We didn't deserve it. I mean really...just look at us. But he did die for US and now we have HOPE. More parents need to share this HOPE with their children. Raise them....don't just HAVE them. God bless you all and I pray for this country all the time.

[MrMellow1]

You know this actually did happen to a black kid about 5 months ago,but do you know why you didnt hear about it? Because CBS would'nt dare do a report about a black child being set on fire.I'm very sorry that this happened, to a child especially, because no one deserves to go threw that,But i have a question for you, how many of you would be on here talking about this if the kid was black? This is something blacks have endured for years and as soon as it's a white kid it's all over the news and everyone has something to say, Go figure! With that I say God Bless that child and his family

[val19124]

actually EVERYTIME something happens to a black person by a white person its all over the media and LABLED as a hate crime, but when a white person is a victim to a black person it gets swept under the rug...and how about everytime a violent incident occurs to a white person there's ALWAYS at least one stupid black guy saying " well if the victim were black..."
so have you ever heard of channon? her and her boyfriend were RAPED and murdered by a group of black people...funny thing is-the story was never in the news...here read this and ask yourself how much coverage ther would be-if the victims were black

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Channon_Christian_and_Christopher_Newsom

[kitty385]

I really do think that alot of the crime that we are seeing in younger people (elementry - high school) are very much rasist.

When I went to school here in Marin County there were no gangs. Granted, that was back in the 1970 - 1980's.

Now my children are going to school here and it has to be at least 70% hispanic/other population. And there are alot of "gang members" now in the high schools here and also alot of violence.

I do beleive that it does come from the upbringing of the kids and has alot to do "racially".

Sorry that I feel that way but I do. My kids wanted to go to school here in Marin instead of the "East Bay" which is why we moved back here, only to find the same problems.

[stillwaters6]

HOLD UP...attacks in Chicago and attacks in Miami by teens.

What do they have in common...teens with short fuses. Much rage and anger. Lack of conflict resoulution skills.

Race is not the issue...teens are crying and acting out for attention. Some are even cutting themselves just to bleed the pain out of them...

WAKE UP AMERICA...young people know what's really going on...and it has nothing to do with race...the question is does America know what's going on with its young people--or will it continue to be distracted by race???

[philagumbo]

The Sun Sentinal has pictures of the 5 "teens". 3 are black and 2 hispanic. Do any of you people even who who Channon Christian was, or what happened to her? How about Tiffany Long? No you don't, because when white people are victimized by other races the media won't show you. If this was a black teenager who had even been beaten up by white boys, you'd know their names and all their vital statistic. (good example: the Duke Lacrosse "Scandal", that never even happened.
We know all about those innocent college boys, even though it was all a story made up by a black exotic dancer who wanted to milk "whitey" for a lot of money. And she has NEVER BEEN CHARGED WITH ANYTHING!).

[TD_01]

Until people finally realize that the system we have to incarcerate criminals isn?t working, there is no fix for violent crime in America.

Jail has to stop being thought of as a place to rehabilitate or a place to keep wrong-doers off the streets. Jail has to go back to being a place of punishment! Too often now jail is actually better than where the criminal was living on the street! And its become a ?network? for making better(worse) criminals!

Jail needs to be a deterrent again. No TV, No AC, No Internet?two basic healthy meals a day(this should also be bland) and HARD WORK!!! People convicted of violent crimes SHOULD do hard time! 12-18 hour days busting rocks or clearing prison grounds and tending to the prison farms. Chain gangs needs to come back!

The problem is, no criminal really fears jail-time anymore. They don?t like the loss of their ?freedom? but none of them worries about the time they have to do. And why is this?jails have basically become resorts. Boredom is the greatest fear in jail.

And its BOTH The far Left AND the Right?s fault! The Left wants ?fairness and justice? and for everyone to just ?get-a-long?. They seem to LIKE people being wards of the state. And the Right, mostly the Christians(Left & Right) doesn?t think its our ?job? to deal out harsh judgement, that?s God?s job. So, what happens? Nothing.

Now with all that said, you put these five already violent ?children? into a correctional system like we have now?the likelihood is GREAT that they will come out worse criminals and they WILL kill someone.

[wyltk75]

The truth is, this gang of boys was mixed race, at least two of them are white. I think you would be hard pressed to say that there was any racial motivation in this case.

[Joynbooks]

My prayers go out to this boy and family....... Here in America we charge criminals with a crime,let a jury decide their fate, and if found guilty a judge will sentance them for their crime. This is how our system works and though it may have flaws, its the best in the world.
I feel these boys need to be charged as adults and treated as such and I feel its too soon to blame the parents without having more information as to their involvement in their sons lives or lack of it.
Children from the best familes commit ruthless crimes same as children from the worst familes, Some people are just bad seeds and need to be put away from civil society.

[wyltk75]

I too think these boys parents should be held more accountable. Bullying is a real problem these days. I guess it has always been a problem, but I think it's escalating drastically.

[patingurl]

~My family and I are praying for you and your young son...~ keep prayer in your everyday life...god wont give you more than you can handle...love the patins from lafayette, louisiana

[rosem1955]

For the 5 boys and their family's that did this they should be made to take good care of this boy for the rest of his life. If they don't then they should sit in hell. If we keep letting these kids and adults get away with these things it will keep happening. We need to stand up for ourselves.Sharpton or Jackson is not going to stand up for US.

[jerseygirl66]

An eye for an eye

[DrAsaDonBrown]

What a truly senseless and egregious act of violence. I am sickened by this tragic story and I pray for this young man?s ability to fully recover. May peace be with him and justice in his name.

Asa

[DrAsaDonBrown]

What a senseless crime and egregious act of violence. I am sickened by this tragic story and I pray for this young man?s ability to fully recover. May peace be with him and justice in his name.

Asa

[erasmus111]

by ffoulkes-2009 October 14, 2009 3:15 AM EDT
Don't you realize that some of these kids do this kind of thing just to usurp authority from the parents and try to get the parents into trouble? Kids these days are quite intelligent and conniving at times. Parents are quite limited now in what they can or can not do with regard to punishing bad behavior.


Uh...we're talking about something that is a little more disturbing than just shoplifting or anything like that. These kids have serious problems. Problems that probably stem from their home life. And if my child was capable of doing something like this, I would have seen it. Any parent that is paying attention to their child would see it.

The problem is that a lot of parents today are NOT paying attention to their kids. They aren't teaching them right from wrong. And they should PAY for raising juvenile delinquents. Actually they should pay for destroying their child, because that is exactly what they are doing when they do not pay attention to them and teach them right from wrong. It's child abuse.

[erasmus111]

"It's child abuse."

Actually NEGLECT would be a better word.

[acorbs13]

i completely agree that the parents should be just as responsible as these kids!!!

[utrillo1]

These kids are waste. Do with them as you would with waste.

[msceci]

I am appaulled by this senseless, and despicable act. Everyone of these persons needs to be tried as an adult. Yes, I agree with above comment regarding parents. Who raised these children? Such sheepish cowards.