Family Of Miami Man Set On Fire Seeks Answers
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – A Miami area man doused in gasoline and set on fire Christmas night remains in critical condition.
Darryl Brackett, 44, and his girlfriend dropped their guests off after hosting a Christmas night cookout. On their way home, the van ran out of gas and Brackett walked to the U-Gas station at 4700 NW 27th Ave.
Brackett paid for gas then walked to the pump.
No one is sure what happened next, but a woman saw Brackett on fire and ran to help.
Brackett reportedly told the woman who found him that three men set him on fire, according to his mother Bridgette Brackett.
Two-and-a-half hours later, Brackett's girlfriend found out that he had been taken to the Ryder Trauma Center's burn unit, located inside Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Thursday afternoon family members handed out flyers outside the U-Gas hoping someone may have witnessed something that could help police find those responsible.
Brackett suffered burns over 75 percent of his body.
"He has no skin left," Bridget said. "Coloration's gone from his face," Darryl's cousin Sharetta Remikie added.
While Miami-Dade police have yet to come up with a motive for the attack, they are treating it as a case of possible attempted murder.
His sister Angela says when she see's him in the hospital bed, she just can't believe it's her big brother.
"It's not him. I don't see the face that I used to see. I don't see the smile. It's a total different person."
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
"Police have a lot of leads, a lot of people are calling in," said Angela.
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
