10-Year-Old Boy With Special Needs Set on Fire by Other Children: Mother

Mother claims her son was set on fire by other children.

A Texas mother claims her 10-year-old son was set on fire by other children and is now clinging to life.

Kayden Culp, who is hearing impaired, is on life support at a San Antonio hospital, his family said Wednesday.

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He has first- and second-degree burns and a lung infection, according to his mother and friends.

Late Wednesday, authorities announced a juvenile had been charged with first-degree arson "as the individual responsible for causing the victim's severe burns," according to a statment from Kerrville Fire Marshal Chris Lee. 

No age or identification was given for the juvenile. 

Authorities said Thursday the fire appears to have been started by kids playing with matches and gasoline and that the boy was not intentionally targeted.

The incident occurred Sunday, when Kayden was out riding his bike and didn’t come home for lunch, family friend Donya Young told InsideEdition.com Wednesday.

His mother, Trysten, got a text message saying her son had been burned and telling her where to find him, Young said. As the mother arrived, the boy was being loaded into an ambulance, the friend said.

The boy was alone when firefighters arrived. They were called to the scene on a report of a shed on fire, according to Kaitlyn Berry, spokeswoman for the city of Kerrville.

Read: Stranger Than Fiction: Man Sprints Into Burning Home to Rescue Laptop With Novel In It

The fire marshal's findings are expected to be announced Thursday.

Online funds have been established to raise money for the Culp family.

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