Mo. teen charged with setting 13-year-old on fire

[kong]

Mo. teen charged with setting 13-year-old on fire
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri teenager accused of pouring gasoline on a 13-year-old, setting him on fire and laughing as he burned, has been charged with first-degree assault. Joseph D. Gardner, 17, of St. Joseph, had bullied the child in the past and threatened to kill him and his family if he told anyone, according to a probable cause statement from the Andrew County Sheriff's department. On April 15, Gardner threatened to hit the boy in the face if he did not let him set him on fire, the statement said.
The 13-year-old had first- and second-degree burns on his face and right arm, along with burns in his nose and throat "from inhaling the flames," the statement said.
Gardner was charged Monday in Andrew County court. Court records did not list a lawyer for him. He was being held Tuesday on $150,000 bond and has asked for a public defender. Messages left at possible phone numbers for Gardner weren't immediately returned. The St. Joseph News-Press reported that Gardner tried to explain his actions during a Monday court appearance and was advised that anything he said could be used against him. Associate Circuit Judge Mike Ordnung repeatedly ordered him to be quiet.
The burned child was taken to the University of Kansas Hospital burn center in Kansas City, Kan. His name and details of his condition haven't been released, but the sheriff's department interviewed him at his home a few days after the incident in Helena.
Authorities declined to provide details on the relationship between Gardner and the child.
Gardner's next court appearance is a case review scheduled for May 22.

[kong]

talk about sick and twisted!

[Joker]

They should have charged him with attempted murder as well. There is no excuse for setting someone on fire and it's even worse to laugh at them while they burn. Bullying should be qualified as a form of terrorism and carry the same penalties as someone who maliciously destroys a government building. Maybe then, kids -- and adults -- will think twice about their actions before they carry them out. The younger kid is really lucky he isn't dead.

[kong]

any punishment can't be too extreme

[Oldschool]

Such a light punishment sends the wrong message, sadly he may very well do this again some day, perhaps even leading to a fatality

[The Aussie Badass]

that kid needs some serious help... that is disgusting to hear that they could be that cruel... wonders how many people will blame the WWE for this and by this i'm referring to him imitating Kane doing that to Jim Ross

that was 8 years ago so it is unlikely anyone will think to relate this incident to an 8 year old wrestling show...Unless it happened again recently?

This kid sounds like a psychopath/sociopath... Serial killer in the making. I sure hope he will be tried as an adult not a child?

[Oldschool]

that was 8 years ago so it is unlikely anyone will think to relate this incident to an 8 year old wrestling show...Unless it happened again recently?

This kid sounds like a psychopath/sociopath... Serial killer in the making. I sure hope he will be tried as an adult not a child?

No, it seems he will be tried as an adult, but without the attempted murder charge he will be out after a short sentence

[The_Fragile_One]

He should be charged with attempted murder. Because it sure as hell doesn't seem like he had any intention of putting the kid out while he stood there and laughed.

Seriously, I read things like this and I know if this world doesn't end of Dec. 21 - We're going to do ourselves in.

[kong]

it's the sick and twisted who get the headlines. I hope they put him away for good!