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Miracle Boy Ralph Yarl, 16, smiles in first photo after leaving hospital as he recovers at home

The 16-year-old was shot at point-blank range in the head and arm after he arrived at the wrong house on April 13 in Kansas City, Missouri

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: The attorney representing Ralph Yarl and his family has released his first photo since he was discharged from the hospital. The 16-year-old was shot at point-blank range in the head and arm after he arrived at the wrong house on April 13 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The 84-year-old Andrew Lester was charged with two felonies on April 17. Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson told reporters that there was a "racial component" to the case. The incident has reignited frustrations of the local African-American community, with some claiming Lester was being treated differently by the criminal justice system because he is White and the victim is Black.

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'Truly a miracle'

Civil rights lawyer Lee Merritt, who is representing the Yarl family, shared a picture of himself sitting with Yarl on Twitter. The pair is seen sitting on a bench on the family's porch on Wednesday, April 19. Merritt said the teenager was at home and recuperating. "How the bullet in his head did not cause more extensive damage is truly a miracle," he noted.

Around 42 percent of people who sustain gunshot wounds to the head manage to survive, but such wounds can have long-lasting effects, per the Yale School of Medicine. Speaking to CBS on Tuesday, April 18, Yarl's mother Cleo Nagbe said her son was recovering at home and was "surrounded by a team of medical professionals" after being discharged from the hospital on Sunday, April 16. The embattled parent added that her boy will likely suffer from his injuries "for quite a while."

Conflicting accounts

It's worth noting that Yarl and Lester have provided conflicting accounts of the incident. Lester told the authorities that he was "scared to death" and thought he was dealing with a break-in. The perp said firing his gun "was the last thing he wanted to do," but that his old age made him feel unable to defend himself. The statement noted that Lester was "visibly upset and repeatedly expressed concern" for Yarl.

The octagenarian was charged on Monday with armed criminal action and first-degree assault, which is reportedly the equivalent of attempted murder in Missouri. The latter even carries the possibility of a life sentence. Prosecutors explained to the media that they pursued the charges over a hate crime indictment since it carried a harsher sentence. Lester reportedly surrendered himself to the authorities the following day and pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Wednesday, April 19. He was released from custody after posting 10 percent of his $200,000 bond (since he isn't a flight risk) and has agreed to relinquish his weapons and avoid any contact with Yarl and his family.

"Justice delayed is justice denied," Merritt said in a statement Tuesday. "We are relieved that charges are finally moving forward but are disappointed in the delay that necessitated national outcry for an obvious crime. We are cautiously optimistic about accountability and justice."

However, the city's police force has vehemently denied treating the case differently. "This is not something that has been dismissed, marginalized, diminished in any way," Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said on Sunday, April 16. "This is something that is getting the full attention of the Kansas City Police Department," she added.