Charges filed after special needs boy allegedly set on fire

Charges have been filed against a Texas youth after he allegedly doused 10-year-old Kayden Culp with gasoline and set him on fire.

Culp’s mother, Tristyn Hatchett, told the San Antonio Express News that Kayden, who has hearing and speech problems, believed that he was friends with the accused aggressor even though that boy would bully him. “He considered these guys his friends, but they would make fun of him and pick on him and tease him. He was usually the brunt of that kind of joke, but he kept playing with them,” she said.

Culp has been in the hospital since Sunday and was on life support. He suffered burns on more than 20% of his body, from his ears to his belly button. Hatchett posted on Facebook Tuesday that she didn’t believe it was an accident. “I need the police to arrest the 2 boys involved with the pre meditated attempted murder of my 10 yr old son Kayden Culp!,” she wrote.

Earlier this morning Hatchett posted the following update:

Kayden is doing a little better today . They have taken him off the epinephrine. He was able to stabilize his heart rate and blood pressure on his own all night. Still on feeding and breathing machines. He is going in for his second dressing change soon. We will know more about the severity of his burns and lung damage afterwards. His swelling seems to be reducing now. The last dressing change caused him to plummet. I will update this afternoon.

And we want to thank everyone, everywhere for all of the thoughts, prayers and support. I can’t express how grateful we are. Truly amazing. We need the good to outweigh the evil.

News4SanAntonio reports that a child was taken into custody Wednesday evening and charged with first-degree arson. The Kerrville Fire Marshall said that the juvenile is “responsible for causing the victim’s severe burns.”

A gofundme has been established to assist the family.