Autistic teen at risk of going blind after 'friend' threw drain unblocker in his face

An autistic teenager faces permanent blindness after someone he calls a friend allegedly threw cleaning powder in his eyes.

Teenager Brody Morgan, 18, from Texas, was walking with two other friends in a Houston suburb when their mischief turned into tragedy. Police say the trio's horseplay ended in a violent encounter when Branden Jolly, 17, threw chemicals at his victim.

The trio of teenagers returned to the victim's mother's home, with Brody clearly suffering from an eye injury. But the group tried to downplay the injury and hide the substance used in the attack. Amy Morgan, the victim's mother, said: “Children with autism don't always know how to make good friend choices. »

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Amy tried to wash the chemicals out of Brody's eyes with water and saline, but nothing worked. It took a trip to the hospital to get the full story from her son. Police said the boys stole a package while out walking at a nearby home. In it, they found a “container filled with a powdered substance” and this quickly led Jolly and the group to throw it away.

The 17-year-old allegedly threw the contents of the bottle down Brody's shirt. Jolly was then pushed aside, prompting him to throw out the contents of the container again. This time, the chemicals were thrown in Brody's face, according to court documents. Morgan was then rushed to hospital and treated in a burn unit for chemical damage to his face and eyes.

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Doctors later discovered the chemicals were a drain unblocker clearly outlined on the outside of the container, the New York Post reported. Jolly was described as “one of Morgan's friends” by police who said the 17-year-old was arrested two days later and charged with felony injury to a disabled person.

The teen's mother has since spoken out about the encounter and believes Jolly had thrown the chemicals away as part of an accident. She says the chemicals fell from her son's hands after Brody “attacked him.” Jolly's family released a statement that read: “Our family is very distressed by the details of this case, for both of our families. I am very saddened by the entire event and my thoughts are with Brody and his family. I believe it. The incident was NOT a malicious act on my son's part to harm his friend, but an accident resulting from the choices made by all parties involved.

Brody's mother, Amy, added: “The type of chemicals they were can still continue to break down. » It's unclear if Brody will recover from his injuries or how long it will take, as doctors have described them as severe, unpredictable burns to his face.