Two juveniles are facing felony charges in connection with a June incident at Bliss Park in Longmeadow, Mass., where police were called about acid being poured onto slides and causing “burn-like injuries” to some children. Photo courtesy City of Longmeadow
Oct. 21 (UPI) — Two children are facing multiple felony charges in connection with a June incident at a Massachusetts playground in which four youths were burned by acid poured onto slides.
The suspects face four counts each of assault and battery on a child with injury, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, as well as vandalism, Hampden County, Mass., District Attorney Anthony Gulluni announced Thursday.
“Our collective effort to charge those we believe are responsible should make clear that protecting this community’s children is among our highest priorities,” Gulluni said. “Whether the threat and harm caused were intended as pranks or malicious acts, it will not be tolerated.”
The incident occurred June 11 at Bliss Park in Longmeadow, Mass., a suburb of Springfield, Mass., located about 95 miles west of Boston.
Police were called to the scene after call about a caustic substance found on the recreational equipment that caused “burn-like injuries” to some children.
The youngest victim was a 1-year-old boy, whose skin was burned while coming down the slide, according to his mother, Ashley Thielen, who told MassLive that her daughter was also injured after the substance burned through her clothing.
Emergency crews who arrived on the scene tested the exposed children with electrocardiograms, while pH tests showed high levels of acidity in their bodies.
Firefighters soon determined that three slides had been poured down with muriatic acid, which was later discovered missing from a nearby pool supply storage that was burglarized.
The Massachusetts State Police assisted local authorities in tracking down the juvenile suspects.