Boy playing with lighter burns 4-year-old

Mehret Tesfaye | July 27th, 2009 at 2:04 pm | | Print This Post

A 4-year-old girl was burned Tuesday by a 9-year-old playing with a lighter and a can of hair spray.

According to police, incident happened about 6:20 p.m. on the 500 block of East Brookside Street. A 9-year-old was playing with a lighter and the hairspray when a 4-year-old boy brought a can of rubbing alcohol out. The 4-year-old threw the open bottle toward the 9-year-old who had an open flame on the lighter. A 4-year-old girl, who was standing next to the 9-year-old, was spattered with the alcohol and was burned when it ignited. She received second-degree burns on her legs and her right arm. She was transferred to Children’s Hospital in Denver for treatment.

Police say that there were adults in the home, but the 9-year-old hid the lighter from them. Police do not suspect neglect.

- By MARIA ST.LOUIS-SANCHEZ | THE GAZETTE