A young individual suffered severe injuries after being deliberately set on fire in what appears to be a long-standing feud between two families in a small town. Jacob Thompson, 19, sustained burns covering 32% of his body, including third-degree burns on his face, torso, arms, back, and legs, following the incident on Cowper Street in Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia, on October 13.
Reportedly, a group of people approached Jacob, doused him with a flammable liquid, and ignited it, leading to his critical condition. Passers-by intervened, extinguishing the flames, and he was promptly taken to intensive care for treatment.
Authorities stated that the horrific attack was linked to an ongoing dispute between local families in the rural Australian community. According to New South Wales Police, it is believed that Aaron Valette, 19, threatened Jacob with burning before carrying out the attack with an unknown liquid. Jacob’s family relocated from Coonabarabran due to safety concerns and have been supporting him at Concord Hospital in Sydney, where he was airlifted after the incident.
His family disclosed the severity of his injuries as he remains in intensive care, emphasizing the long road ahead for his medical treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery. Despite the challenges, Jacob has shown resilience and a positive attitude towards his recovery process, according to his family.
Following the incident, Valette, Mavis Chatfield, 45, and a 17-year-old girl were arrested at a nearby property. Valette faces charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and affray, while Chatfield was charged with affray. Both individuals were denied bail, while the teenage girl was released pending further investigation.