A 19-year-old man, Jacob Thompson, is fighting for his life after being set on fire while walking down a street in Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia. The attack occurred at around 6pm local time on Monday, October 13, when a man, a woman, and a girl allegedly approached him, poured a liquid over him, and set him alight.
Mr Thompson suffered severe third-degree burns to 32% of his body, including his face, torso, arms, back, and legs. He was airlifted to Concord Hospital in Sydney, where he was placed in an induced coma and is on life support. His family is at his bedside.
Police have arrested a 19-year-old man, a 45-year-old woman, and a 17-year-old girl near the scene. The man has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and affray; the woman has been charged with affray. Both were refused bail. The teenage girl was released pending further investigation.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by Mr Thompson’s family to support his recovery and relocation. As of now, it has raised around $8,000 (£4,000). The page states: “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.”
