New Berlin boy burned after accidentally setting himself on fire still in hospital

(CBS 58) -- A New Berlin boy who accidentally lit himself on fire last month is still in the hospital recovering.

The boy has been at Children’s Hospital since the accident happened on October 22. He is now in intensive care.

We talked to the boy’s mother on Monday at the hospital. She did not want to be identified.

“It’s going to be a long tough road,” she said.

The woman’s 11-year-old son is recovering from third-degree burns covering more than 35 percent of his body. His mom says the burns start at the back of his skull and run down his back.

A New Berlin police report says the young boy accidentally lit himself on fire at his home near Moorland Road and Rogers Drive. The police report says at first the boy said two masked men broke into his home and lit him on fire, and then later admitted to playing with a lighter and lighter fluid. His mother said it was just an accident and had nothing to do with any sort of internet viral video challenge, or anything of that sort.

So far the boy has had one surgery and could have more. Right now he is battling an infection, but his mother says he’s expected to make a full recovery. Until then, the community and even strangers have jumped in to help the family with meals and fundraising.

“We’re so overwhelmed by the support we’ve gotten,” the boy’s mother said. “We feel so blessed to have such support.”

She said she is not sure when her son will be released from the hospital, but will definitely not be home for Thanksgiving, and most likely not for Christmas. The family is just taking it day-by-day.

A GoFundMe has been set up for the family.