6YO Boy Suffers Third-Degree Burns to His Face After Bully Allegedly Set Him On Fire

Trigger Warning: This article contains graphic details and images that may be distressing to readers.

A 6-year-old Connecticut boy has been left with third-degree burns to his face and other parts of his body and is currently in the hospital in Bridgeport. Little Dominick Krankall's sister, Kayla Deegan, said her brother was playing in the backyard of their home off Louisiana Avenue in the afternoon with other children who live below them. She alleged that an 8-year-old got into a shed on the property and got ahold of gasoline and lighters, and threw a flaming tennis ball at Dominick. 

"As soon as he walked down the stairs, the bully called his name and lured him over around the corner, and in a matter of seconds he came back around the corner screaming, saying 'Mommy, they lit me on fire,'" said Deegan, according to NBC New York. The 8-year-old neighbor got into a shed on the property and gained access to some gasoline and lighters.  "What he did was pour gasoline on a tennis ball, took a lighter, lit it up and just chucked it right at my brother's face — and then ran away from him and watched him burn," Deegan said.

According to WFSB Bridgeport officials said, “Preliminary reports indicate that up to four unattended children were seen playing with gasoline and lighting objects on fire.” Aaron Krankall, Dominick’s father claimed his children were being bullied since last year. “Pushing ‘em, tripping ‘em, there’s always been some type of issue. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes they can all get along and play. It was nice. But then there’s always, one of my kids always comes home crying,” said Aaron. Now he doesn't know when his son will be out of the hospital. “All he wants to do is go outside and play, he keeps saying when can I go out and play again. Can’t give him an honest answer, we were supposed to go fishing Sunday night. That was our plan,” said Aaron.

The little boy seems to be recovering and is coping with the help of family members. "Dominick is doing a little better. Yesterday was the first time he actually was able to get a few bites of food past his extremely swollen lips and into his mouth. He could only handle a few bites, but that is some good news. He will sip soup out of a straw as well," Deegan wrote in an update on GoFundMe on Wednesday. "He's such a tough little cookie. The bravest 6 year old I've ever known. Being an older sister and so close to your siblings, seeing my baby brother like this is absolutely heart-wrenching. No baby should have to lay in a hospital bed like this."  The family is asking for financial help for the child's hospital bills as well as moving into a new home.