Hot Water Challenge: 11-year-old boy suffers horrific burns after friend pours boiling water on him while he is asleep
A harmful new trend that has taken over the internet—'Hot Water Challenge'—sees people drinking water at 212F (100C) or pouring it on one another.
11-year-old Billy Oliver became an unwitting victim after his friends decided to take up the horrific challenge during a sleepover.
Billy had gone to a friend's house in Clay County, Kentucky, for a sleepover on Tuesday, July 23. He decided to go to bed early while his friends were busy playing Fortnite.
The 11-year-old woke up in excruciating pain after his friends poured hot water on him as he slept, as reported by Metro. Billy suffered second and third-degree burns.
"It was a 10. On a one... Well, on a zero to 10 scale how bad it hurt, it was a 10," Billy said recalling the incident.
Angela Guth, the mother of the boy who poured the hot water, did not take Billy to the hospital despite him being in pain and suffering third-degree burns.
Guth is now facing criminal abuse and endangerment charges for not taking the child to the hospital despite being aware of his injuries.
Her son, however, is not being named or charged as he is a juvenile.
Billy is currently being treated at the Cincinnati Burn Center in Ohio.
It was Billy's mother, Patricia, who reported the incident to the police which led to Guth turning herself in.
Patricia is now advising other parents to be careful about this challenge. "Education is the only thing we can do right now," she said.
"The parents need to speak, you need to talk with your child," she continued. "My child had stayed many a night with this boy and I never would have put him in danger but it’s a challenge you know."
Billy's family members also expressed their anger on social media while warning other parents about the trend.
"This is a challenge! Talk to your children people please. I am living a nightmare and had no idea about this challenge. My child stayed all night with a friend happened many times before. He went to sleep and woke with his friend throwing boiling water on him laughing while my child fit to get his clothes off. People, please talk to your children this is a nightmare. While my child slept he boiled water and poured on my sleeping baby," Patricia wrote.
Billy's sister, Emily, also took to Facebook to warn people about the trend. "This is a challenge!? Who would want to boil water and throw it on someone I have more kids/tens on my page so if you think this challenge is harmless this is my brother he stayed all night with his friend and while he was asleep his friend boiled water and threw it on him and laughed when he tried to get his clothes off? This is no joke if you are a parent please talk to your kids about this challenge my brother is in Cincinnati Children’s Hospital because of this and has to have surgery this challenge is not a game it’s dangerous!!!!," she wrote.
Pediatrician Dr. Susan Pollack, from Kentucky Children’s Hospital, also expressed her concern for online trends that leave people injured. "When I first heard about it, I was amazed," she said. "I mean, I am familiar with various things that people do that aren’t very wise. To burn someone is to inflict such incredible pain and suffering on them and I don’t think that is the intent."