6-year-old Connecticut boy burned by bullies

Dominick Krankall, a six-year-old Connecticut boy, suffers from second- and third-degree burns to his face and legs after his bullies set him on fire. 

According to Krankall’s sister, Kayla Deegan, the boy was playing in their backyard with other children from the neighborhood on Sunday when the tragic incident happened. 

"As soon as he walked down the stairs, the bully called his name and lured him over around the corner, and in a matter of seconds he came back around the corner screaming, saying, 'Mommy, they lit me on fire,'" said Deegan.

The bully, an eight-year-old neighbor, allegedly gained access to gasoline and lighters before calling Dominick over.

"What he did was pour gasoline on a tennis ball, took a lighter, lit it up and just chucked it right at my brother's face — and then ran away from him and watched him burn," Deegan said. According to his family, Dominick shrieked in horror and pain.

"My son has been bullied by this child for a year. That day, they purposefully threw a gasoline-saturated ball that they lit on fire at my son's face. They called his name so he would turn around. They threw it at Dominick and left him outside alone to die," said Maria Rua, Dominick’s mother.

Police and firefighters responded to a burn call at around 3:48 p.m. Dominick was immediately taken to a hospital to treat the burns. The hospital said Dominick is expected to recover.

"His face is about twice the size it normally is," Rua said. "He's swollen with blisters. You can't even see his beautiful eyes anymore."

“Fair is better than critical and better than serious, so we’re trying to do our best for him,” said John Capiello, a spokesman for the hospital. “It’s a terrible thing.”

On Tuesday, police said they are investigating the case, including preliminary reports of “up to four unattended children were seen playing with gasoline and lighting objects on fire.” No charges have been made as on Wednesday.

“The incident is currently still under investigation as to the exact cause of the burn injuries by the Bridgeport Police, Bridgeport Fire and State Fire Investigation Teams,” police wrote in the report.

Dominick’s family claimed that this was not the first time that the boy has ended up in the hospital because of his bully.

"It's heartbreaking, it's sickening to know the family. There's nothing being done about this," said Deegan. "This needs to be seen everywhere so everyone knows Dom’s story and what he had to go through, and the extent it went to for someone to hopefully do something."