A 20-year-old McDonald’s worker in Northern California is facing multiple surgeries after a co-worker allegedly hurled hot cooking oil at him, leaving him with severe second-degree burns across nearly a quarter of his body, according to his mother.
Jacob Smith was working as a shift manager at a McDonald’s in Yuba City when the shocking attack unfolded, his mother, Amber Smith, wrote in a GoFundMe post to raise money for her son’s medical expenses.
“He was in the office getting ready to count the money when he saw out of the corner of his eye something, and he just turned, and the oil was just thrown on him,” she told KCRA.
Jacob suffered “severe second-degree burns” over roughly 22% of his body — including to his face, neck, right arm and back — and was admitted to the intensive care unit, where his pain has been so severe that doctors have limited options for additional medication, according to his mother.
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“The pain he’s experiencing is so excruciating that they can’t give him a level of pain medicine outside of the ICU,” she told the outlet.
Police identified the suspect as 23-year-old Jalani Bluett, a fellow McDonald’s employee who allegedly left the restaurant before officers arrived. Authorities later located and arrested Bluett after seeking the public’s help in finding him.
At the time Bluett was being sought, the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office said he is “at risk due to a diagnosis and vulnerabilities.”
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During Bluett’s arraignment, Yuba City Police Lt. Michael Bullard told KXTV that the suspect was being held on charges including assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem and serious felony assault resulting in great bodily injury. He is being held in Sutter County without bail.
Amber Smith said her son is scheduled to undergo skin graft surgery because some of the burns are particularly deep.
Despite the ordeal, Jacob has remained remarkably upbeat.
“As much as I want to be angry, or want to hate people and be scared of people, it’s just so hard to be when I have so many people showing their love for me,” he wrote in a message shared on the fundraiser page. “I’m not sad, and I’m not angry, and the pain doesn’t cause me grief because I know it’s necessary to heal.”
He also thanked his family, friends and faith for helping him through the recovery process, writing, “Thank you to God for saving my eye and giving me awesome family and friends.”
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