12-year-old Detroit girl severely burned attempting 'fire challenge'
DETROIT (WJBK) - A 12-year-old girl from Detroit is in the hospital recovering from severe burns after taking part in a disturbing trend called the Fire Challenge.
"I can't help my baby. I can't help her," said Brandi Owens.
Brandi is trying to be strong, but can't bear seeing her daughter bandaged from head-to-toe and in intensive care with burns over 49 percent of her body. Timiyah Landers and her two girlfriends were hanging out at her Detroit home on Friday after mother Brandi made them pancakes and went to take a nap. Minutes later, Brandi said she heard a small explosion.
"She came running up my hallway on fire from her knees to her hair," she said.
Timiyah was on fire. Brandi's fiance quickly put her in the bathtub and sprayed her down with water. Brandi rushed Timiyah to the hospital as the other girls admitted, they were taking the fire challenge -- something one of the girls had seen on YouTube where you douse yourself with rubbing alcohol and set yourself on fire.
"These kids are trying these YouTube challenges," she said, "that's where they get this challenges is YouTube, and they're trying it with their friends."
Some are even dying. Others like Maya will be hospitalized for months to come and scarred forever. Brandi wants YouTube to ban these videos and she wants to warn other parents.
"Monitor these kids, especially with these phones, and if I could after with this happening - my kids would never be able to be on social media. No more iPhones. Nothing," she said.
Instead of starting seventh grade in a couple of weeks, Brandi says Timiyah is on a ventilator and will be in the hospital for several months.