CARIBOU, Maine — On the morning of Nov. 11, Scott Long, 39, was gearing up for a full day. He was not yet out of bed, but he heard his daughter moving around the apartment.
“That is when I heard her screaming,” the Caribou resident said on Friday.
When Long rushed to the kitchen, he found his 8-year-old daughter, Jasmine Long, with her T-shirt and the sweatshirt she was wearing on fire.
“I put it out as quickly as I could and called 911,” he recalled. “She just kept screaming and crying as I was trying to help her.”
The Prospect St. apartment is also home to Jasmine Long’s 11-year-old brother.
It was approximately 9 a.m. when the girl was burned.
She was taken by ambulance to Cary Medical Center in Caribou and then flown later on Nov.11 to Maine Medical Center in Portland.
On Nov. 12, she was transferred to the Shriners Hospital in Boston for continued treatment of second degree burns to her torso and arms.
At this point, Scott Long said, the family is still not sure how the accident happened. He said that his daughter possibly was playing with a bottle of hairspray close to an ignition source, but could not be sure.
Long said that he keeps matches and lighters out of his children’s reach and has never seen his daughter playing with such materials owned by anyone else.
While the girl is being treated in Boston, Long said that he has been hearing criticism about his family and the accident. It has, he said, added more stress to what is already a stressful time.
“This could have happened to anyone,” he said on Friday. “A number of kids get up earlier than a parent and play with toys and games, and that has happened in my house before the fire. Jasmine is naturally curious, but the only thing that she has ever gotten into is makeup. There was no negligence here. This was an accident.”
“I wish we as parents could safeguard everything in this world,” he continued. “But we can’t.
Long said that his daughter has made progress in her long journey to healing. She has had two surgeries and recently walked several hundred feet on her own. More surgeries are planned in the near future.
No charges are anticipated in the case, according to the state fire marshal’s office and the Caribou Police Department.
Praying for this little girl and her family…..
People can be so cruel can’ they, Mr Scott just ignore the ignorant comments ….accidents do happen that is life…I hope this little girl and her family has a wonderful and fast recovery.
Such a sad accident, hoping for a speedy recovery for this little one.
For such a terrible accident to occur and then have unjustified criticism piled on top of it is just unfathomable. Lots of parents sleep in a little on a Sunday while kids in this age group play or watch TV for awhile. Hoping for a speedy recovery for your daughter and some outpouring of compassion and support for you and yours.
I hope this wee one makes a full recovery…and shame on those who are jumping to conclusions and passing judgment on the father. SHAME on you! When my children were 8 – 10, yes, they often got up before I did. I would usually hear them puttering around the house, but they knew to put in a movie, read a book or come in and get us out of bed. Any parent who thinks you can shelter them 100% of the time while they are growing and learning may as well be prepared for having their 40-year-old child living with them and being supported by them. Peace be with these parents. It could have been almost ANY one of us :)
A speedy recovery to her and family.
As a parent o a child who burned himself we too were criticized! Accidents happen. It does add stress when strangers make accusations!
Don’t read the comments. Most of “them” don’t know what they are talking about. Wishing for a speedy recovery for your daughter.
Some of this pain can be lessened if the media were to report these incidents and not open them to comments. Much to peoples dismay they do have that option. Sometimes if feel when i read these articles that there are vultures out there just waiting to jump all over it and make unfounded speculation that is hurtful to others. Fortunately people that have responded so far have been respectful. that is admirable.
I pray that you all find peace through all to come, it is easy for one to judge others, then too face the sins that one may fight. These children are not toddlers, they are old enough to have cereal and cartoons without close supervision… smh
Wishing you and your children all the best! May she continue to recover quickly!