The then-8-year-old boy, Robbie, received justice years after the attacker set him on fire thanks to the last words he gave on his deathbed, prosecutors said. According to the court documents, the boy\u2019s attacker was imprisoned and his family received $150 billion in a civil lawsuit. On the day when Robbie\u00a0celebrated his 8th birthday, he walked through the woods behind his home to meet a friend for a sleepover. Shortly afterward, the boy emerged from the trees in flames.\u00a0Another boy reportedly tied him to a tree, poured gasoline on him, and set him on fire in the woods. Despite the flames that ate away at his body, the unfortunate child managed to go home, collapsing on the street in a ball of burnt flesh.<\/span><\/p>\n

Robbie’s mom found him close to death, with severe blisters covering his whole body and skin hanging off his ankles. The burns covered 99 percent of his body and left him without eyelids. Only the soles of his feet were unharmed.\u00a0Hospital staff told the family that Robbie wouldn\u2019t survive. However, he underwent countless skin grafts and more than 150 operations, and eventually, he got stronger. Although he was severely traumatized and disfigured, Robbie quickly became known for his relentless optimism. \u201cThe past is the past,\u201d he would say. \u201cYou need to let it go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Robbie named his attacker as then 13-year-old Don, who was taken into juvenile custody. Unfortunately, Don was released because there was no motive or evidence. The only witness was an\u00a08-year-old boy. It was a miscarriage of justice, but a big break in the case would come many years later.\u00a0At age 20, Robbie\u2019s third-degree burns turned into deadly skin cancer. Dying in a hospital bed, Robbie sought justice and recorded a deposition, yet again naming Don as his attacker. In this video, however, Robbie also made clear Don\u2019s motive: to keep him silent. According to Robbie, just 17 days before he was lit on fire, Don had ra-ed him in the very same woods.\u00a0Just before dying, Robbie told investigators, \u201cDon grabbed me by my shoulder and threw gas in my face, after that I don\u2019t really remember anything.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Authorities went on to rule his death a homicide\u00a0because the cancer was a consequence of his original injuries.\u00a0The family took Robbie\u2019s case to court, attempting once again to get justice for him. Don was tried as an adult despite being 13 at the time of the crime. Defense attorney Tay put Don on the stand just prior to closing arguments. Once sworn in, Don told the court that he was pleading the 5th Amendment and wished to remain silent.\u00a0County Chief Prosecutor Freyer made an impassioned plea to jurors that they convict Don. \u201cToday that little boy gets to hit back,\u201d Freyer said, referring to Robbie. Pointing at Don, he said, \u201cToday is the day that you pay.\u201d The jury sentenced him, who was 29-years-old at the time, to 40 years behind bars.\u00a0Robbie\u2019s parents also pursued a civil lawsuit against Don . Although $150 billion is the largest sum of its kind ever awarded in U.S.\u00a0history, the family members are unlikely to ever see that money. Dear readers, we are republishing this story<\/a><\/strong> amid recent reports that child se-ual abuse has surged in the U.S. during the pandemic. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The then-8-year-old boy, Robbie, received justice years after the attacker set him on fire thanks to the last…\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3941,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3938","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-trending","8":"cs-entry","9":"cs-video-wrap"},"yoast_head":"\n