Buster
Woman Set Boyfriend Ablaze, Claimed He Was Participating In "Fire Challenge" Stunt, Cops Say
A Florida woman arrested for setting her boyfriend on fire after dousing him with rubbing alcohol claimed that the victim had been participating in the so-called fire challenge when “things went awry,” police report.
According to cops, Marcos Fuentes suffered burns to twenty percent of his body early Sunday morning in the Bradenton home he shares with Necole Stephens, 35.
As Fuentes was being loaded into an emergency medical helicopter, he told Manatee County Sheriff’s Officer deputies that Stephens became jealous when she saw him texting on his phone. Fuentes added that Stephens “threw ‘medical’ alcohol all over him before igniting his clothes on fire with a lighter.”
Stephens, who was not home when cops arrived, was later contacted by phone by deputies, who reported that Stephens claimed Fuentes “was participating in the ‘alcohol challenge’ and things went awry.” Stephens added that she left the residence because she was “scared.”
Stephens, investigators noted, declined repeated requests to return to the home and provide “proof that she did nothing wrong.” She was subsequently located at another Bradenton residence and arrested. Stephens is locked up in lieu of $15,000 on a felony aggravated assault charge.
Fuentes suffered second-degree burns “on his left side from his shoulder down past his waist,” reported deputies. Stephens and Fuentes are pictured above in a Facebook photo uploaded to her page in late-June.
The “fire challenge,” which has been popularized by Facebook and YouTube videos, involves a participant pouring rubbing alcohol on their skin and then setting the liquid on fire. The flames are then supposed to be quickly extinguished. However, many individuals have suffered serious burns as a result of the dangerous online trend.