Michael Brewer, the boy who was set on fire by five classmates in October was taken off the ventilator yesterday and is now breathing on his own. Michael is expected to live, but has burns over most his body. Five classmates of Michael Brewer who were 13-15 years old were charged with the burning. Michael owed one of the boys $40 for a video game, and when he didn’t pay one of the boys tried to steal Michael’s father’s bike that was worth $500, then Michael called the police.
Sheriff Al Lambert said, "This group of kids thought that because the kid may have snitched him out, and turned him in because they were trying to steal his dad's bike, they felt in their mind, it was OK to set him on fire," the Today Show reported.
The boys covered Michael Brewer with rubbing alcohol and lit him on fire. Michael jumped into a pool, but the flames were not put out until a man with a fire extinguisher put them out. Police said that the boys were laughing when they told authorities about it. Michael Brewer, 15 has burns on 65% of his body, and is recovering in a local hospital.
The firemen who treated Brewer immediately after the burning said that jumping into the pool probably saved his life; the fire didn’t go near his face or airway. They said that he was awake and sitting in a chair near the pool and that he was coherent, he was able to give them basic information about his address and his mom’s name. They also said it was the worse call they had ever had. They knew Michael was in a tremendous amount of pain.
Three of the teens who set Michael Brewer on fire, Denver Jarvis and Bent, 15, and Jesus Mendez, 16 were charged as adults with attempted second-degree murder and are being held without bail until they enter their pleas at their arraignment next week. The other two teens (one is 13) were charged as juveniles for aggravated battery. The prosecutors are still investigating the case and may bring further charges at a later day.
A Utah group Bullying is Bull goes around to junior and high schools around the state to speak to students about why bullying is bad. Another Utah company called Report Bullying has speakers who come out to local schools to speak about the problem.
Fore more on the original story of what happened to Michael and videos of his moms pleas, click here.
Source: CNN and Today Show
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Comments
Moral of the story: pay what you owe, and you won't be doused in flammable liquid and set on fire.
Second moral is 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 $40,000 to help him buy a condo he's because he can't free up his stocks in time for a good deal. You decide to help and lend him the money you've been saving for your wedding. He decides not to pay you back, and so you make a bad decision and you steal a painting of his worth $100,000, hoping he'll change his mind. Instead, he reports you to the police and you get put in jail for two years. You come out, break the guy's legs with a baseball bat and he is so scared he has a heart attack, but recovers, yet you are put in prison for attempted manslaughter for the rest of your life and the jerk gets celebrity status, book deals, and a lot of women who are coddling him for being a victim and brave hero. Third moral: Never be a good guy.
Are you Jay Jarvis
You guys make no sense. To edward, your analogy makes no sense. No you should not break into someone's house to steal anything when they refuse to pay. You can sue, that is what the civil law system is for. To Jay, this is a 15 yr old kid, and what those boys did is heartless. I don't agree with giving those boys life, but 15 yrs in jail should be proper punishment.
This case is a perfect example of how Blacks and people that hang around blacks are out of control. This is a hate crime plain and simple. The worthless waste of skin boys should be set on fire the same as they did to this boy. And people wonder why hatred for blacks is growing in America.
Each of those young adults should spend 1 year working in a facility of burn victims. Dealing with them everyday, then they should spend 15 years in prison. The angry side of me wants to just torch each of them and forget about it.
Lord you are an awesome God. I have been praying for Michael since I first learned of this terrible event. When I read this article I again was amazed by the blessings of the Lord. I also have prayed for the trouble boys that did this to Michael. I must admit I am glad they are being charged as adults and hope the judge makes them poster children and deals with them harshly. Micheal will need support for years and years, medically, emotionally, spiritally. God help him to forgive and not grow to be a bitter person. Fill him with your love..
"This case is a perfect example of how Blacks and people that hang around blacks are out of control. This is a hate crime plain and simple. The worthless waste of skin boys should be set on fire the same as they did to this boy. And people wonder why hatred for blacks is growing in America."
For someone who spews such hate it appears there may be hope for you yet as you appear color blind... one of the kids who did this is white!
Jay and Edward must be children themselves; maybe not in age but definitely in lack of intellect.
........if I only had a brain....da da da....
I wouldn't want to be those kids or their families- do you know the death threats and all kinds of stuff that is happening to them- I heard that there are threats that people want to burn the bully's family and such...sick world... I guess and eye for an eye- people want justice and I know this has upset alot of people.
Jay and Edward are perfect examples of a very sick society.
"For someone who spews such hate it appears there may be hope for you yet as you appear color blind... one of the kids who did this is white!"
I wouldn't consider him white. He was a wanna be black there is a big difference.
What's sick about it? Obviously, if he'd paid the $40 he owed the other kids, none of this would've happened.
Ms. Mona- If your Lord were the God you think he is, couldn't he have made sure the Zippo or match didn't light on first strike, thus ensuring Michael could've escaped? No, I think your Lord is the God you don't want to admit he is: the vengeful and righteous one. He made sure Michael got what was coming to him for not paying what he owed.
Jay & Edward, What the hell is wrong with you two? No amount of money owed can justify this barbaric behavior. You two sound like a couple of sociopaths. I feel sorry for all living beings around you.
If someone owes you money and they don't pay up, do what most of us rational and sane people do - sue them.
What happened to good old fashion one on one fist fighting? Nobody goes to jail or gets burned.
Jay and Edward are 2 fools who come on discussion boards because they seek attention. Obviously they have very low self esteem, that is why they are on here with their combative comments. They get everyone riled and therefore attention is given to them. Quite sad actually to go to that extreme to feel as though they count and are somebody important. Only important issue is the safety and healing of Michael Brewer. Teen violence is a crisis situation that needs to be dealt with and those 5 young men need to pay the consequences of such a heinous act, this is UNACCEPTABLE, prison sentences for all 5!
i don't care how much he owed those boys there's just no justification for torching someone. The government doesn't even burn the worst of criminals on death row. The kids that did this must have no souls - what kind of parents do they have? I pray for that poor boy's recovery everyday. It makes me so sad to hear that this is a true story and that it happened in America. I hope those heartless boys get what they deserve to the fullest degree.
Moral of the story: never lend money to whites.
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