DISTRESSING CONTENT Jacob Thompson was left with severe injuries to 32 percent of his body after he was allegedly set alight as part of a ‘family feud’ in a New South Wales town
A teenager who was left with horror injuries after being set alight was allegedly attacked as part of an “ongoing feud” between two families in a small town.
Jacob Thompson, 19, was left with burns to 32 percent of his body, including third-degree injuries to his face, torso, arms, back and legs, after he caught alight on Cowper Street in Coonabarabran, in New South Wales, Australia on October 13.
He was allegedly doused with a liquid after being approached by a group of people before catching fire, and was later rushed to intensive care after passers-by intervened and extinguished the flames.
Now, invstigators have said they believe the shock immolation was part of an ongoing feud between two families in the small rural Australian town.
New South Wales Police have said following the incident that it is believed Jacob was set alight due to a “feud” between the local families. In a statement to the Australian Daily Telegraph the service alleged that Aaron Valette, 19, had warned the teen he would be burned while holding a plastic bottle containing an unknown liquid.
He allegedly told Jacob “if you come any closer I’ll burn you” before he threw the fluid over the teen and set him alight, leaving witnesses to extinguish the flames. His family has since fled Coonabarabran over safety fears, and have remained by his side in Concord Hospital, Sydney, to where he was airlifted after the incident.
His loved ones have opened up on the severe extent of his injuries as he remains in intensive care weeks after he was set alight. They said in a statement: “Due to the severity of his injuries and the damage to his airways, Jacob was flown to Sydney and placed into an induced coma on life support.
“This deeply traumatic incident was witnessed by his immediate family and partner, leaving physical and emotional scars that will take a lifetime to heal. Jacob now faces a long and painful journey of ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, recovery, and ultimately, the need to relocate to a safe environment for his treatment and the entire family’s health and wellbeing.”
The teen was initially placed on life support, but the family say he has made some small improvements. They said he is still struggling with breathing issues and his eyes have been impacted, which requires constant monitoring and treatment and he still has a dislocated shoulder.
Despite the extreme injuries the teenager has sustained, his family told the Daily Telegraph he “remains positive” as he continues to “come to terms” with what happened. They said: “Jacob has been very emotional, and he is currently trying to come to terms with his injuries. He remains positive despite what he has had to endure over the past two weeks.”
Police arrested Valette, along with Mavis Chatfield, 45, and a 17-year-old girl at a nearby property following the incident. Valette was charged with causing grievous bodily harm to a person with intent and affray, while Chatfield was charged with affray. The pair were both refused bail. The teenage girl was released from police custody pending further investigation.