Teenager burned trying to kill head lice

[goldenryan]

some things never surprize me, get aload of this story: Police say a teenager who soaked her hair in gasoline to try to kill head lice was severely burned when the gas fumes ignited and set her head ablaze.

Eighteen-year-old Jessica Brooks was in serious condition Thursday at the burn unit at University Hospital in Louisville, Ky. She was burned Sunday night at her apartment in Evansville, Ind.

Police said Brooks was in her bathroom letting her hair soak in gasoline just before a pilot light from a water heater ignited the gas fumes and her hair.

Investigator Richard Howard said Brooks suffered second- and third-degree burns over more than half of her body.

Brooks was taking high school night classes in hopes of graduating this year.

[jessica]

How very tragic.

[megocrazy]

No wonder she needed to take night classes to graduate. Who the hell is dumb enough to soak their head in gasoline at 18 years old? A horrible tragedy for any person to endure but sometimes it's difficult to feel for some people. I can't imagine what her head had to feel like before the pilot light hit it. I once had a large amount of gasoline tipped on my shoes and about 5 minutes later my feet started to sting from the gas affecting my skin. The scalp tends to be much more sensitive than other areas.

[Mikey]

I would wash my hands in gas to get grease or paint of them sometimes... worked fine unless you bathe in it.

[4NDR01D]

She had a C minus in Home Ec, but an A+ in Home Explosions.
*groan*
sorry.

[bgrimm77]

I'm with Chuck...sometimes you just cant feel that bad for people that do absolutley stupid things. I am sorry that she got as hurt as she did that realy sux...but she had to know going into it that it wasnt the brightest of idea's......I mean they do make and sell lice killing shampoo at almost every retail store and super market.

[toys2cool]

I feel for her,but man that was pretty stupid

[supercrazy]

Why didn't she just buy the shampoo. Hell if she would have been a member her we could have sent her some. People never surprise.

[Vortigern99]

Poor thing. That is so, so awful. It was an ill-advised course of action, obviously, but good heavens people she is very young and not very knowledgeable about such things. She deserves pity and compassion. I feel very sad for her and her family.

[supercrazy]

It is very sad. She does deserve compassion. But it also makes you wonder how bad it was that gas was her last resort. Where do people learn these things. Well anyway you can't change what is done but hopefully she will make a full recovery and will learn from this tragic mistake.

[cjefferys]

I always hate hearing stories like this, so sad. There are always people out there that you think are old enough to know better that do stupid things that completely go against common sense sometimes. She paid a hell of a price though, I feel sad for her.

It reminds me a story I heard a couple years ago. A teenager had some friends over when his parents were out. He decided to start a fire in their fireplace using one of those "artificial logs". He thought he was supposed to remove all the outer paper (which is covered in highly flamable material) so he did so, inadvertantly getting that chemical all over his hands and clothes. And then when he lit a match, you can guess the rest. He ended up with severe burns over most of his body. When my sister took my nephew to a hospital to get burns on his hands treated, she saw that boy get treated and heard the story. She said it wasn't a pretty sight, and hearing him screaming that he just wanted to die made it even worse.

[theantiquetiger]

Is this a true story or an internet wise tale?

I remember about a month ago, a story about a man burning his 5 year old by soaking her hair in gasoline in the kitchen sink and a pilot light on the stove did the same thing.

I never saw the actual story, just some one posting about it.

[4NDR01D]

Is this a true story or an internet wise tale?

I remember about a month ago, a story about a man burning his 5 year old by soaking her hair in gasoline in the kitchen sink and a pilot light on the stove did the same thing.

I never saw the actual story, just some one posting about it.

Here's a story from 2005, same thing, but a 4 year old girl.

[EmergencyIan]

It's a true story. You can Google it and find the legit news reports. She is from Evel KMego and my hometown (Evansville, Indiana). I realize that it was a stupid thing to do, but it's surely shattered her life.

- Ian

[stuart]

I teach in an elementary school, and I have seen some nasty cases of lice. Shampoos make the most sense, but some of those little buggers are resistant to the medicine found in them. I have heard of people using mayonaise, but never gasoline.

Oh man my head is itching just thinking about it.