Photo Courtesy of Justin Charles
Jayceon Charles’ parents never imagined that allowing their 8-year-old son to attend a sleepover at a white family’s house would damn near cost him his life. Now, they are demanding answers.
On August 9, Lakiesha Belin and Justin Charles allowed their son to stay at a friend’s house in Warren, Arkansas. The children were supposed to go to a local amusement park the following day. The boy wound up in an ICU after being burned over 80% of his body.
On October 16, Local 12 News reported that Jayceon was severely burned after a small explosion allegedly occurred while the children roasted hot dogs at the Arkansas home. Lakiesha told the news outlet that her son called her, but the call was disconnected. Justin called back, only to hear his baby boy shrieking in pain.
The worried parents hurried to the friend’s house to find Jayceon covered in Vaseline and wrapped in plastic with serious burns. They were shocked to learn that nobody at the home notified them or the paramedics.
Justin and Lakiesha rushed the little boy to the hospital.
“The stories that’s been told never sat right with me from the beginning,” Earl Charles, Jayceon’s grandfather, said. “I never understood why so many people dropped the ball and just didn’t show any concern.”
“It’s just a rough situation seeing him lying in the hospital bed like he is,” Justin told the news outlet.
Upon arriving at the hospital, doctors discovered that the 8-year-old boy had serious burns over 80% of his body. He also suffered brain damage, severe infection and kidney failure. Jayceon was put on life support and coded twice. Since the incident, he has had several operations, including one to extract five inches of his small intestine.
Earl called the police, but so far, nothing has been done.
“So many people dropped the ball that should be held accountable.”
The family is now looking to get more attention for Jayceon’s plight. It has been two months since the tragic incident, and the family claims investigators have been unresponsive when it comes to securing witness statements and medical records because the family involved is white.
Justin also doesn’t buy that his son’s injuries were an accident.
On October 13, the Arkansas State Police took over the investigation and sent the results to the Bradley County Prosecuting Attorney’s office.
Despite the police’s work, Lakiesha said dealing with the situation is “hard.”
“It’s hard because I don’t know if my baby is going to be the same anymore.”
A GoFundMe to help pay Jayceon’s medical bill was started in September.
“Our prayers is that Jayceon is able to fully recover and come back bigger and better than before,” the page read. “I ask that you please have and show compassion to this baby.”