The mother of a 6-year-old Alcolu boy who received second- and third-degree burns in October 2016 after allegedly being set on fire by an older child is still seeking answers regarding the incident.
Leslie L. Brown said her son, Emery L. McCray, was playing with other children at the home, and that an 11-year-old child came running to her saying her youngest child was on fire.
"I don't know what happened; I only know what (Emery) has told me," said Brown, who gathered once again Monday at the Clarendon County Courthouse with leaders from the South Carolina chapter of the National Action Network, a civil rights group based out of Charleston.
“My baby has scars for the rest of his life,” Brown said. “I have to put oil on him. He cant be in sunlight. He has had a skin graft. He will probably have to have more surgery in March.”
This was Brown's second time appearing at the courthouse in as many weeks. She was joined Feb. 26 by local civil rights group and the National Action Network in calling for justice for her son.
Brown and other community leaders allege that the 11-year-old boy responsible for her son's injuries was only offered a 90-day sentence with the Department of Juvenile Justice and that her family has been intimidated by former law enforcement officials into keeping quiet.
"We cannot allow this," said Elder James Johnson, leader of the South Carolina chapter of the National Action Network. "We are asking our new sheriff, Tim Baxley, to reopen this investigation, to do a complete and new investigation as to how little Emery was set on fire."
Johnson said a prior investigation "has not shown what type of flammable liquid was used, nor has the child's shirt been found."
"We want to know exactly who has the shirt he was wearing at the time," said Johnson. "Emery himself will be scarred for life. He experiences pain every night. It's not since the days of slavery that black folks were set on fire in such a manner. If this were a black young man setting a white child on fire, the black child would still be in jail."
Johnson said that his group had joined with Brown to let local leaders know "this case is not going away."
"This will not stand," he said. "We are not going away. We want justice for Emery, and we are not going to let this go away. Those in power in this county need to know that."
Johnson said that there "are two stories out there, and we want to know which one is the truth."
One of those stories is Brown's own, where Emery was deliberately set aflame by the 11-year-old child. The other, according to the boy's father, is that the incident was the result of an accident.
Initially, Sheriff Randy Garrett told The Manning Times when asked about the incident in October that it was an accident. About 28 days later, charges of assault and battery were filed against the older child for his alleged role in Emery's injuries.
"We are sick and tired of the lies," said Johnson. "We want to know which one of these stories is the truth. The story changes every week from those responsible. We want answers now."
Brown agreed.
"I want to know where the shirt is," she said. "There are several stories going around. First, they said it was a spark that caught my baby on fire, and then they're saying he was playing in lighter fluid. I want to find out what really happened."
Family friend Laverne Nelson said the only way Brown can get answers is through a new investigation.
"This child has been scarred for life," she said. "Second-degree burns are very painful, but third-degree burns, they will destroy your nerves. He will suffer for the rest of his life with these injuries."
Nelson took a shot at those in power - citing them only as "representatives - while speaking Monday at the courthouse.
"And to our representatives out there that could not stand with us: If you are scared, say you're scared," she said. "If this is the good-old-boy system at its finest, we're going to fight."
Brown said that Emery has emotional ups and downs. She said her youngest child sleeps with the lights on every night.
"He's jittery," she said. "As a mom, there's nothing that you imagine like this. You wouldn't wish this on your worst enemy. We have a long road ahead of us."
Part of that road involves extra time at school three days a week.
"He has returned to school, and his homebound services have been transferred," Brown said. "He spends one-and-a-half hours extra three days a week at school with homebound services helping him."
The Rev. Leon Winn, pastor of Rock Hill Missionary Baptist Church, said he has talked with Sheriff Tim Baxley, who took office in January, about Brown's allegations.
"He showed us that he's going to get to the root of it," said Winn. "We are going to talk to him as soon as possible. The heart of this is, we want justice. We don't want to divide our county. We don't want to divide our state. We want to get to the reality of what happened, not just go on the hearsay."
Johnson said that it's also time to support the family.
"We have set up a GoFundMe page for the family," he said. "(Brown) is a single mom. She has three other children. She is struggling in this situation. We need to support this family."
Johnson said the group will once again come together at the courthouse at noon March 18.
"We will be holding a rally entitled, 'Justice for Emery,'" he said. "We are calling upon all churches and community members to come out and join us."
Emery's GoFundMe page can be found at www.gofundme.com/careforEmeryMcCray.
