Kid critical after setting Brooklyn fire to 'kill grandma' as revenge

[CactusCarlos]

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2008/07/07/2008-07-07_kid_critical_after_setting_brooklyn_fire.html

A 5-year-old was critically injured in a Brooklyn fire he set Monday as revenge for being punished by his grandmother, police and fire sources said.

Jay (Tito) Morales suffered third-degree burns to 70% of his body after he used a lighter to ignite the curtains in Nancy Herrera's Bushwick home, fire sources said. Herrera, 63, suffered minor injuries.

"It's all about revenge," a source said. "What's scary is he thought of this and he is only 5."

The boy twice prank-called 911 recently and told cops his grandmother was dead or in trouble, sources said. To punish the boy, Herrera forbade him from going to the park Monday with two friends.

As the friends left the house, Jay whispered to a 9-year-old, "I'm going burn this house down and kill grandma," a source said. Smoke detectors alerted Herrera to the blaze, but the heat prevented her from reaching the boy, who was in a front bedroom.

"I went into the front door and saw the lady hysterical," said Dan Vargas, 34, who dragged Herrera to safety. "She kept yelling, 'My grandson is inside.' There was too much smoke, so I just grabbed her by her clothes and pulled her out of the house."

Firefighters arrived moments later and rescued the child, taking him to the burn unit at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell.

He clung to life last night, as his inconsolable mother and family stood by. "He's a beautiful kid," said his uncle Rudy Morales, 47. "The baby played with matches. ... He tried to play with matches before."

"They tried doing CPR, but he did not wake up," Vargas said. "His legs and feet were all burned."

A friend of the family said little Jay frequently told his grandmother he would set fire to the three-story building if he didn't get his way.

"He would say, 'Take me to the park or I'm going to burn the house down,'" said Ramona Santos, 47, who spent Sunday at the beach with the family.

"I always thought he was joking. I guess he did it this time." Fire marshals are investigating.

[Lord Undies]

If he lives he will be a very different little boy.  70% is hard to survive.

[dutch508]

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2008/07/07/2008-07-07_kid_critical_after_setting_brooklyn_fire.html

A 5-year-old was critically injured in a Brooklyn fire he set Monday as revenge for being punished by his grandmother, police and fire sources said.

Jay (Tito) Morales suffered third-degree burns to 70% of his body after he used a lighter to ignite the curtains in Nancy Herrera's Bushwick home, fire sources said. Herrera, 63, suffered minor injuries.

"It's all about revenge," a source said. "What's scary is he thought of this and he is only 5."

The boy twice prank-called 911 recently and told cops his grandmother was dead or in trouble, sources said. To punish the boy, Herrera forbade him from going to the park Monday with two friends.

As the friends left the house, Jay whispered to a 9-year-old, "I'm going burn this house down and kill grandma," a source said. Smoke detectors alerted Herrera to the blaze, but the heat prevented her from reaching the boy, who was in a front bedroom.

"I went into the front door and saw the lady hysterical," said Dan Vargas, 34, who dragged Herrera to safety. "She kept yelling, 'My grandson is inside.' There was too much smoke, so I just grabbed her by her clothes and pulled her out of the house."

Firefighters arrived moments later and rescued the child, taking him to the burn unit at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell.

He clung to life last night, as his inconsolable mother and family stood by. "He's a beautiful kid," said his uncle Rudy Morales, 47. "The baby played with matches. ... He tried to play with matches before."

"They tried doing CPR, but he did not wake up," Vargas said. "His legs and feet were all burned."

A friend of the family said little Jay frequently told his grandmother he would set fire to the three-story building if he didn't get his way.
"He would say, 'Take me to the park or I'm going to burn the house down,'" said Ramona Santos, 47, who spent Sunday at the beach with the family.

"I always thought he was joking. I guess he did it this time." Fire marshals are investigating.

yeah, he sounds like a charming little guy.

[djones520]

I feel horrible for his grandmother.  It's obvious she cared a lot about him.  Must have been devestating when she heard why he did it.

[bijou]

Sad story, but I do wonder why the family didn't see trouble coming. A 5 year old is not going to have a real idea of the danger of trying to set fire to a house with a history of those threats someone should have spoken to him in appropriate terms and made sure all matches etc were kept well out of his way.

[Chris_]

Anyone else reminded of:

[DumbAss Tanker]

I may be a cold-blooded asshole, but it sounds like the world would be a better place without little Damien.

[Zafod Beeblebrox]

You all need to remember somthing, somone taught that little boy to act and think like that.

*shudder* somone killed that little boy's innocence, somone that boy looks up to for guidence....

[Lord Undies]

You all need to remember somthing, somone taught that little boy to act and think like that.

*shudder* somone killed that little boy's innocence, somone that boy looks up to for guidence....

BS.  Kids are not born blank slates.  Kids are born with their own personality, unique outlook, ability to do good and evil,  and free will.   They aren't taught much of anything but self-control and consequences.

[Zafod Beeblebrox]

You all need to remember somthing, somone taught that little boy to act and think like that.

*shudder* somone killed that little boy's innocence, somone that boy looks up to for guidence....

BS.  Kids are not born blank slates.  Kids are born with their own personality, unique outlook, ability to do good and evil,  and free will.   They aren't taught much of anything but self-control and consequences.

I disagree. I believe that kids do have their own personality when they are born but a good portion is shaped by their upbringing. I believe that a child starts life with a certain amount of innocence and they are shaped by life and the people in their lives....

[Lord Undies]

You all need to remember somthing, somone taught that little boy to act and think like that.

*shudder* somone killed that little boy's innocence, somone that boy looks up to for guidence....

BS.  Kids are not born blank slates.  Kids are born with their own personality, unique outlook, ability to do good and evil,  and free will.   They aren't taught much of anything but self-control and consequences.

I disagree. I believe that kids do have their own personality when they are born but a good portion is shaped by their upbringing. I believe that a child starts life with a certain amount of innocence and they are shaped by life and the people in their lives....

As the father of four very different (since birth) children, I will have to say you give environment too much consideration.

[djones520]

You all need to remember somthing, somone taught that little boy to act and think like that.

*shudder* somone killed that little boy's innocence, somone that boy looks up to for guidence....

BS.  Kids are not born blank slates.  Kids are born with their own personality, unique outlook, ability to do good and evil,  and free will.   They aren't taught much of anything but self-control and consequences.

I disagree. I believe that kids do have their own personality when they are born but a good portion is shaped by their upbringing. I believe that a child starts life with a certain amount of innocence and they are shaped by life and the people in their lives....

As the father of four very different (since birth) children, I will have to say you give environment too much consideration.

Gotta agree with you Undies.  My sister and I grew up in the same environment, and became two completely differant people.  Almost polar opposites.

[JohnnyReb]

That kid has probably been given everything he ever wanted and allowed to behave any way he wanted. ....and he has probably never been given what he needed......a good whipping.

[Chris_]

That kid has probably been given everything he ever wanted and allowed to behave any way he wanted. ....and he has probably never been given what he needed......a good whipping.

Hell; by his age, I was being sent out to cut my own willow switch.

A little warming of his backside at the appropriate times would most likely have prevented the pain he's going through now.

[jinxmchue]

There was a CSI episode almost like this.

[CBUSMS]

Anyone else reminded of:

Who's that?

[Chris_]

Anyone else reminded of:

Who's that?

A very famous movie.

[Chris_]

There was a CSI episode almost like this.

Also a L & O episode.