Local News

Brooklyn Boy, 5, Severely Burned In Fire

Witness: Child May Have Set Blaze To Kill His Grandmother After She Wouldn't Allow Him To Play With Friends

Jay Tito Morales Remains In Critical Condition At New York Hospital

BROOKLYN (CBS) ― A 5-year old boy in Brooklyn was hospitalized and remains in critical condition with severe burns after a fire ripped through his home. Police and fire officials believe he may have sparked the blaze himself.

The child, Jay Tito Morales, may have used a lighter to ignite the curtains in his grandmother's home to punish her for not taking him to the park.

However, he suffered terribly in the fire and is fighting for his life, with third degree burns to 70 percent of his body in the Monday afternoon fire.

"He's a baby. Mistakes happen. He just wanted to go to the park. I just hope he pulls through," said family friend Donna Seaberry.

Nancy Herrera, his 63-year-old grandmother, suffered only minor injuries.

According to Tuesday's Daily News, Morales told a 9-year-old friend that he was going burn this house down and kill his grandmother, after she refused to let the boy go to a neighborhood park with two friends.

"He told me if he didn't go to the park, he would burn the building down. But nobody took it seriously. He's only 5-years-old. No one's going to know," said Jose Colon, 14.

Smoke detectors went off and the grandmother then knew there was a fire in the front bedroom, but the flames prevented her from rescuing the boy.

She had to wait until firefighters arrived.

Morales had recently called 911 twice as a prank and told operators his grandmother was dead or in trouble and that's why he wasn't allowed to go to the park.

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