In Tampa, Florida, a mother from Hillsborough County shares a story that serves as a warning to those enjoying the beach: her 2-year-old son endured a severe burn, and surprisingly, it had nothing to do with sun exposure.
Taiji Goodson said her son, Armon, stepped on a hot piece of charcoal on Coquina Beach and was rushed to a local hospital.
“I screamed with him,” Goodson explained. “I cried with him.”
“I felt like I was finna pass out,” she continued. “I was telling my sister we need to get to the car.”
“I’m forgetting my phone, baby bag, everything,” Goodson recalled. “‘We have to get to the hospital, we have to go now.'”
Goodson’s cousin, Ja’Niya Davis, recalled the terrifying moment.
She said, within seconds, a fun day at the beach for Memorial Day turned into chaos.
“My mom asked what was wrong repeatedly, and I was in shock, unable to speak,” Davis recounted. “I only managed to show her my hand, indicating the pain and issue.”
Davis explained that someone left hot charcoals buried in the sand.
Not only did she feel her skin peel from her hand, but she had to see Armon feel that same pain on his foot.
“Just imagine your skin coming off in seconds and you didn’t know,” she said. “As soon as I put my hand in there, my skin instantly came off.”
Goodson said Armon was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital and then transported to Tampa General Hospital.
She said he has a long healing journey ahead.
As for Davis, she underwent surgery Wednesday.
“I honestly don’t know how my hand looks, I was knocked out,” Davis said. “I don’t remember anything.”
“They informed me they’d need to remove all the skin from my hand to clean it thoroughly,” she added. “I won’t know the condition of my hand until I visit next week.”
“I just know it’s burning and very, very uncomfortable,” Davis said.
News Channel 8 reporter Nicole Rogers asked, “What would be your advice to people going out to the beach this summer?”
“To pour some cold water down, just check your areas for you and your kids, [and] keep shoes on at all times,” Davis replied. “Just be careful.”
To donate to Armon’s healing journey, click here.
To donate to Davis’ healing journey, click here.
