Fund set up for delivery boy severely burned by fireworks

By Nicole Boone
WBTW News13 Anchor
Published: July 16, 2008

A fund has been established to help the teenage delivery boy injured after someone threw a firework into his car.  The Jacob Robinson Fund is set up at Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union.

The 16-year-old Myrtle Beach High School student was delivering food to a home in the Racepath area of Myrtle Beach when police say Marcus Rush ran up to the car and threw a firework inside. 

Police said they believe the firework to be a Roman candle and it burned Robinson in the small of his back and left him with 15 percent of his body burned, according to the police report.

Jacob’s mother, Tammy Bennett, told News13 Wednesday that Jacob is still in ICU.  He will remain in ICU until at least Friday.  Bennett says the goal today is to get Jacob out of bed and sitting up in a chair.  She says that will be tough for her son, because of the second and third degree burns on his back.

Bennett told News13 yesterday the nurses were scheduled to change his bandages since his skin graft surgery on Saturday. However, that did not happen.

Bennett says Jacob remains on pain management.  The family still does not even know when Jacob will be moved to a regular room, much less when he will get to come home.

Jacob and his family moved to Myrtle Beach two years ago from Chester, South Carolina.  Bennett says she is thankful for the fund set up for her son.

As for her thoughts on the suspect, she says, “As a Christian you want to see the good, and be forgiving.  But then when I see Jacob’s back, it’s hard to keep that Christian spirit sometimes.” Bennett also told News13 she hopes what happened to her son was a prank gone bad, and that the suspect didn’t mean to set her son on fire.

The Myrtle Beach man accused in the case was in court Tuesday afternoon. 

Sgt. Robert Kegler with Horry County Police says 24-year-old Marcus Rush of Myrtle Beach has been charged with assault and battery with intent to kill.  Tuesday, a judge set his bond at $30,000 and placed him under home detention.

If you would like to help Jacob’s family with his medical bills, checks need to be made payable to JACOB ROBINSON FUND.  You can drop off donations at any of the Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union branches around the Grand Strand and Pee Dee.  Those branches are listedn below.

Myrtle Beach
1010 21st Avenue North, beside DMV

Surfside Beach
1610-C Hwy. 17 Bus. S., at Bi-Lo Shopping Center

Conway
2518 Main Street, beside Horry County PD

Lake City
219 W. Main Stree, across from Post Office

Johnsonville
422 N. Georgetown Hwy., across from Post Office

Checks payable to Jacob Robinson Fund can also be mailed to
Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union
P.O. Box 780004
Myrtle Beach, SC 29578-7804