UPDATE – A seven-year-old boy who was badly burned in a street in Aberdeen on Friday has died in hospital. According to the Daily Mail, the young boy is said to have been covered by over 80% burns and may have been the victim of a prank that went wrong.
Preston’s mother Luisza said in a statement: ‘Preston’s family want to inform the public that their precious little boy has passed away and is at rest. He meant the world to his family and will always be deeply missed and loved. Preston was a special little boy and his loss has ripped our family apart.”
“On behalf of our family I would like to thank everyone for their support but would ask that we are now allowed to grieve in peace for Preston.”
The little boy was “on fire” when he ran onto a street near his home according to reports and shocked onlookers tried to help him.
A relative of Preston’s said: “I’ve never seen anything so horrible in my whole life.
“I ran out and saw him running up the street in flames, they were covering his whole body.
“His clothes were half burnt off him and half sticking to him. It was awful. I was in floods of tears.”
The relative who did not want to be named continued: “Preston and a group of mates were just mucking about. They were playing near a council van that had petrol in the back of it. I don’t think they knew it was petrol.
“The back of the van was open and his mates were chucking petrol on him. They had lighters and they were sparking them.
“The next thing I know he is running down the road screaming.”
According to The Mirror, the children had found the petrol in an unattended council vehicle in an Aberdeen estate.
Officers said they had received reports of a “boy on fire” and a police statement released last night read: “Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Scottish Ambulance Service are responding to reports of a boy receiving burn injuries in the Bedford Avenue area of Aberdeen.
“Police Scotland was alerted to the incident at 1.57pm and Bedford Avenue is currently closed to traffic.
“Anyone with information and who hasn’t spoken to police is asked to contact Police Scotland urgently on 101.”
