Hot water challenge leaves boy in hospital and woman under arrest

By Maddison Leach|

An 11-year-old boy is recovering in hospital after having boiling water poured over him by a friend after falling asleep.

Billy Oliver was at a friend's house in Kentucky, US, for a sleepover, the two playing Fortnite together until Billy went to bed in the early hours of the morning.

The other boy allegedly decided to participate in the 'hot water challenge', a viral online 'prank' that encourages people to pour boiling water on either themselves or another person, or drink the boiling water through a straw.

Billy's friend allegedly chose to douse his sleeping friend with the boiling water, leaving the 11-year-old in excruciating pain as the skin on his arm, chest and back burned and blistered.

Billy was left with second- and third-degree burns. (Facebook)

"It was a ten. On a one, well on a zero to ten scale how bad it hurt, it was a ten," Billy told WYMT.

Suffering from second- and third-degree burns, Billy required medical attention, however it has been claimed that his friend's mother didn't help the youngster seek aid.

The woman, Angela Guth, has since been arrested and now faces second-degree criminal abuse and first-degree wanton endangerment charges for failing to help Billy after her son poured the boiling water over him.

Police are still investigating, and the boy's name has been withheld due to his status as a minor.

Though Billy is not likely to need skin grafts for his burns, the damage to his skin is severe and his family are furious that he has been left so seriously injured by an internet prank.

"Who would want to boil water and throw it on someone?" demanded his sister, Emily Oliver, in a Facebook post.

Reminding children and teens that the 'challenge' is far from harmless, she alleged that her brother's friend "laughed" when Billy tried to remove his shirt after being burned.

His family have warned other children and parents not to partake in the viral 'challenge.' (Facebook)

"This is no joke. If you are a parent please talk to your kids about this challenge, my brother is in Cincinnati Children's Hospital because of this," she added.

The challenge has been branded dangerous and stupid online, with countless warnings advising young people not to partake in the incredibly risky 'prank.'

Pouring boiling water on a person can cause severe burns and injuries, while drinking it is even more dangerous, with an eight-year-old Florida girl dying after drinking boiling water as part of the challenge in 2017.

Parents have been reminded to warn their children of the dangers of such challenges, and to monitor what their children watch online, with many pranks like this appearing on YouTube.
