SCORCHED SCHOOL

Teen ‘Severely Hurt’ After Classmate Lit His Hair on Fire at Lunch, Mom Says

The student has been charged with unlawful wounding.

A Virginia teen was charged after she allegedly burned another 13-year-old student’s hair on fire while playing with a lighter. The incident occurred Wednesday during lunch at John Rolfe Middle School in Henrico. The victim’s mother said the student approached her son from behind as he threw his food tray away and flicked the lighter, burning his long, curly hair. He’s now in a local medical center with second- and third-degree burns, his mother said. “He was hysterical; he looked scared,” she told WWBT. “His pride emotionally and mentally is broken.” The school sent a letter to the community notifying them of the incident, but the mother said it didn’t go far enough. She alleged that the school urged her not to press charges against the student. “You can’t just brush this under the rug and think that it’s going to just go away, It’s not,” the mother said. “My son is severely hurt, he’s suffering and it’s not fair to me it’s not fair to him so y’all just need to be held accountable.” The teen was charged with unlawful wounding.