Woman films herself pouring boiling water on sleeping boyfriend, posts video on Snapchat: prosecutors
An Illinois woman is accused of pouring boiling water on her boyfriend and refusing to drive him to the hospital, a horrific incident that she proudly filmed and posted on Snapchat, authorities said Tuesday.
Alexis Sykes, 22, recorded herself scalding the victim early last month while he slept on the couch in an apartment they share in the Chicago suburb of Roselle, according to prosecutors. The woman then posted the disturbing video on social media along with an emoji-filled caption that appeared to mock the victim.
“I kinda feel bad now because he got 2&3rd degree Burns from face to waist & they rushin him to burn center but oh well (shrugging shoulder emoji) BITCH (emoji blowing kiss) n still cried & beg me to drive him to hospital,” she allegedly wrote.
Prosecutors said the man woke up during the attack and watched as his skin was falling off his arms.
Sykes, meanwhile, had hidden his car keys so he wouldn’t go to the hospital, the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office said in a news release.
The victim was eventually able to get the keys and drove himself to a nearby hospital. He was later taken to another hospital’s burn unit, where he spent nearly two weeks and underwent skin graft surgery to treat his injuries, according to the release.
Police issued a warrant for Sykes’ arrest on Jan. 8, six days after the alleged crime, but the woman had already left the state. She was found in Mississippi on Jan. 19 and extradited back to DuPage County to face charges.
Sykes was charged with two felony counts each of aggravated battery by caustic substance and aggravated domestic battery. Her bond was set at $500,000 during her first court appearance Monday.
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The suspect’s motive remains unclear.
“The charges against Ms. Sykes are very disturbing,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “Dousing a sleeping man with boiling water causing serious, painful injury, as alleged in this case, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Sykes is scheduled to return to court on March 22.
