A 17-year-old girl passed away after being severely burned when a man threw gasoline on a burn barrel in Jacksboro, Texas, last December. Madison Lewis succumbed to her injuries on Jan. 6.
According to FOX 4 News in Dallas-Fort Worth, Madison was standing near a burn barrel while at a gathering with friends on Dec. 16 when 23-year-old Sebastian Lindsey threw a pan of gasoline in the barrel to make the fire bigger. The gasoline caused an explosion that left the teenager with severe burns over 90 percent of her body after her clothes and hair caught fire.
The police told the outlet that instead of calling 911, those at the gathering drove Madison to the hospital because they were worried there was alcohol at the gathering located in the backyard of a residence located in the 600 block of West Pine. The group reportedly “feared getting into trouble.”
They took Madison to Faith Community Hospital, and she was later airlifted to the Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. Madison was placed into a medically-induced coma by doctors before she underwent multiple surgeries.
Madison’s mom, Ericca Hammond, told the outlet on Jan. 2 that the gasoline explosion “completely” burned her daughter’s body.
“I thought it was a cup at first, but now I found out that it was an actual pan full of gasoline into the barrel, and they say that it just exploded and just went in her direction,” she said. “It was devastating. Completely burned her whole body.”
Her grandfather, Garry Rhodes, announced the tragic news on Facebook on Jan. 7.
“I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers for my beautiful granddaughter Madison Lewis but I’m sorry to say that she succumbed to her injuries about 1:30 this morning baby girl Grandpa love you is going to miss you RIP Madison Lewis.”
Before her death, her mother said Madison was a senior in high school who was supposed to attend college next August after graduating in May. “This is the first year since I’ve been a mom that I didn’t wrap one Christmas gift,” said Hammond. “Not one.”
The teenager endured four surgeries following the fire, and her mother hoped that she would recover. “She has so much more to do out here,” she continued. “That’s why, I mean, she’s a warrior. She is a fighter. That’s what we need the most right now is prayers and for her healing and her poor body.”
Madison was taken off of her pain medication to see if she became responsive and was scheduled for a fifth surgery before she passed away. Hammond thanked the community for their prayers as well as the Ronald McDonald House for helping her get to Dallas to be with Madison.
“They have just been the best to me and to my family. You know, just open arms and hugs and prayers and so much compassion that it just filled my heart full of love.”
Lindsey was arrested by the Jacksboro Police Department and charged with manslaughter on Jan. 8. He is being detained at the Jack County Jail without bond.
