Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Mother says son was burned during prank by brother Print E-mail
The Associated Press   

SALT LAKE CITY -- The mother of an 11-year-old boy who was wrapped in toilet paper and then accidentally set on fire says the whole thing started as prank by her son's 13-year-old brother.

"It was not intentional," Renee Morgan said during a news conference Tuesday at the University of Utah Hospital, where Tyler Morgan was in critical condition. "It was kids just playing and being kids."

Tyler and his brother Chris were playing a game with a group of neighborhood friends at an Orem park Monday when they wrapped Tyler in toilet paper against a pole, said Capt. Ned Jackson of Orem's public safety department.

They then wrapped more toilet paper around four poles in a pavilion to make a wrestling ring, Jackson said. Jackson said Tyler was a willing participant up to that point.

But one of the boys' friends used a lighter to set some of the toilet paper on fire, underestimating how quickly it would burn, Renee Morgan said.

When the fire began to spread, Chris Morgan began to try to stomp it out and accidentally set his foot on fire and lit the paper wrapped around his brother, their mother said.

Tyler Morgan suffered burns on 14 percent of his upper body, including his face, neck and ears.

He is being treated at University Hospital.

He already has a friend nearby -- Bridger Hunt, who was critically injured July 24 by an exploding homemade firework.

Bridger Hunt's mother, Mindy Carter-Shaw, said that Tyler had called and e-mailed her daily to ask about her son's condition and visited him at Primary Children's Medical Center, which is next door to where Tyler is being treated.

"These two boys are inseparable. Bridger and Tyler have been best friends for years. They live around the corner from each other," Carter-Shaw said. "I can't believe it. This is unreal -- unbelievable."

The Morgans' mother said the boy who lit the fire has been apologetic.

"Kids are going to be kids," she said. "They are going to experiment."

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Discuss (5 posts)
Wilbur Aug 13 2008 19:56:29
This thread discusses the Content article: Mother says son was burned during prank by brother

With friends like those, who needs enemies?
#387119
Jaye Aug 13 2008 20:18:30
I find myself wondering what the other CHILD was doing with a cigarette lighter in the first place?

When the mother of the burned child makes a statement that it wasn't an intentional action...I am left wondering what her basis for comparison is?

'Just kids being kids', eh? I've heard that excuse all too often. When my first son was just a little tyke, we had a next door neighbor boy his age who came over to play every day.

This child had no concept of normal play, and he was constantly trying to hurt the other children...and it was intentional. He was corrected by my wife, and given every opportunity to straighten up and fly right if he wanted to play in our yard with the other kids.

One day, as she sat on the porch swing watching the children playing, she noticed this boy pulling something out of his pocket as he chased our son.

He had it stretched out at full arm's length, and was trying to poke our son. She called him over, and he tried to hide the object. She discovered he had a large piece of broken glass, which he had been trying to poke into our son's back, and his neck.

The boy was sent home, and not allowed to play with our son again.

Good thing my wife was sitting there on that porch swing...watching those children at play.

Not intentional? Kids being kids? To pull a cigarette lighter out of one's pocket, light it up, and hold the flame to paper...doesn't seem much like it was unintentional.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to this little boy, who was badly injured by the stupid actions of another...just as his friend, the Hunt boy, was injured by the stupid actions of another.
#387132
JLD Aug 13 2008 20:24:42
I burned plenty of things up when I was a kid. I carried a lighter around with me too. I have for as long as I can remember.

While he intentionally set fire to the paper, I don't think he intentionally hurt the other child. That is my take on the situation.

I wish him a speedy recovery.
#387136
itschmee Aug 13 2008 21:54:13
Jaye wrote:
I find myself wondering what the other CHILD was doing with a cigarette lighter in the first place?

When the mother of the burned child makes a statement that it wasn't an intentional action...I am left wondering what her basis for comparison is?

'Just kids being kids', eh? I've heard that excuse all too often. When my first son was just a little tyke, we had a next door neighbor boy his age who came over to play every day.

This child had no concept of normal play, and he was constantly trying to hurt the other children...and it was intentional. He was corrected by my wife, and given every opportunity to straighten up and fly right if he wanted to play in our yard with the other kids.

One day, as she sat on the porch swing watching the children playing, she noticed this boy pulling something out of his pocket as he chased our son.

He had it stretched out at full arm's length, and was trying to poke our son. She called him over, and he tried to hide the object. She discovered he had a large piece of broken glass, which he had been trying to poke into our son's back, and his neck.

The boy was sent home, and not allowed to play with our son again.

Good thing my wife was sitting there on that porch swing...watching those children at play.

Not intentional? Kids being kids? To pull a cigarette lighter out of one's pocket, light it up, and hold the flame to paper...doesn't seem much like it was unintentional.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to this little boy, who was badly injured by the stupid actions of another...just as his friend, the Hunt boy, was injured by the stupid actions of another.


Did he set fire intentionally - Yes. Kids, and some adults, just haven't the ability to close the loop between cause and effect.

Just like the kid with the glass. It would be fun to poke. The effects of that were beyond his imagination.

That's why we have the term "Adult supervision". As long as there are kids these things will happen.
#387164
naters Aug 21 2008 21:07:10
Ok first off i am the mother of the boy burned and I never said that it was a prank by his brother! If any of you would read what was wrote it was a neighbor kid that had the lighter not my other son! and what am i suppose to do check the pockets of everyone that comes in and out of my house. my children do know the dangers of fire. My son never asked to be ignited!! it was a horrible accident!!!!! Thanks to all of you that are praying for us and wishing him a speedy recovery
#388540


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