A 6-year-old Connecticut boy is recovering from severe burns that were allegedly inflicted by a neighborhood bully.
Dominick Krankall was playing outside his home in Bridgeport Sunday afternoon when he was hit in the face by a flaming tennis ball that was allegedly throw, deliberately, by an 8-year-old boy, according to NBC New York.
"As soon as he walked down the stairs, the bully called his name and lured him over around the corner," the boy's sister, Kayla Deegan, told the outlet. "In a matter of seconds he came back around the corner screaming, saying 'Mommy, they lit me on fire.'"
Deegan said the 8-year-old boy "pour[ed] gasoline on a tennis ball, took a lighter, lit it up and just chucked it right at my brother's face."
Krankall was rushed to the hospital with second- and third-degree burns on his face and leg.
Bridgeport Police confirmed the incident, telling FOX 5 that unsupervised children were seen playing with gasoline and lighting objects on fire. Police declined to comment further, citing a "very active" investigation.
At this point, it's not clear if any criminal charges will be filed.
Aaron Krankall, the boy's father, told WFSB that his son has been bullied by the same boy in the past.
"Pushing 'em, tripping 'em, there's always been some type of issue," he said. "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."
A GoFundMe effort intended to help the family with hospital bills and find a new home has raised more than $370,000.
"We are looking for help for a new home because it is not safe here," the fundraiser says. "Even though Dominick can't talk because he's in a lot of pain and all swollen, he said to my mom, 'Please don’t take me back there.'"
The other child's family has a different account of what happened, CBS News reported. In a statement, the boy's mother urged people not to make assumptions until police release more information.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured boy. We are working with authorities to determine what occurred, and we fully support their investigation," said Laura Giacobbe.
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