Houston boy, 6, grandmother suffered severe burns from downed power line in storm
A Houston-area 6-year-old and his grandmother were hospitalized after they were shocked and burned by a downed power line in a destructive storm last week.
Morgan Winters told ABC 13 that her mother, 56-year-old Charlotte, was pointing out the energized line to someone else from a distance at the Lake Conroe campground where she lives when she and her grandson were burned.
"Based on what she remembers and what we talked about, it's not like they were within touching distance. Like, they were far away based on what she has said," Winters told the outlet.
Charlotte called her immediately after the incident before she was hospitalized, Winters said, but she "wasn't making sense" on the call.
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Charlotte Winters, 56, is pictured with her grandson Nathan. (Fox 26 Houston)
A 59-year-old man was also burned. Neighbors found him lying on the ground still in contact with the power line, KHOU reported.
Now, Winters told Fox 26, she has been running between hospital floors to help care for both her mother and her son, Nathan. The boy sustained second-degree burns to 18% of his body, she said, while his grandmother suffered second- and third-degree burns over more than 55% of her body.
"It's just been extremely difficult talking to two different teams of doctors, burn units, psychiatrists, surgeons, it's been a lot," Winters said.
Winters' son has undergone surgery for skin grafts and has been released from the intensive care unit at Texas Medical Center. Her mother was still in critical condition as of Sunday.
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Nathan Winters, 6, has undergone one skin graft surgery and may need another for burns to his limbs, according to a GoFundMe established by his family. (Fox 26 Houston)
Recovery has been difficult for both, particularly the 6-year-old, who Winters said is struggling to comprehend his ongoing medical procedures.
"His body hurts, he doesn't understand why doctors are having to come in every day and change his bandages," she told Fox 26.
The boy's grandmother, whose injuries are considered more severe, is expected to spend about two more months at the hospital's burn unit before spending another series of months in its recovery ward, according to the family's GoFundMe initiative. She will undergo several surgeries in the coming weeks, according to the fundraiser, including potential amputations of several toes and a finger.
She has used her available energy to check on her grandson. Although they are at the same hospital, they have not been able to physically see one another.
"She's automatically like, 'Morgan, how is Nathan? How's my baby? How's my baby? And they FaceTime multiple times a day," Winters told ABC 13.
Video calls were the first time that the 6-year-old saw his injuries, which extend up the left side of his face.
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Nathan Winters and his grandmother were hospitalized at Texas Medical Center after the May 28 incident. (Fox 26 Houston)
"He immediately was like, 'Mommy, I am hideous,' and I was like, 'No, you're just injured right now,'" Winters told ABC 13.
Reporters for the outlet asked what she looked forward to most upon his release from the hospital.
"Seeing my Nana," Nathan replied.
Winters is wearing her mother's cherished necklace, which was given to her by her grandson before the accident. It was removed when she arrived at the ER, Winters told Fox 26.
"Whatever our new normal will be, we're looking forward to that because it just means that they are healing, they are recovering, but it's going to be a challenging road," she told the Houston outlet.
The Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office told KHOU that you should always stay at least 10 feet away from downed power lines.
"You do not have to touch a power line to be in danger. High-voltage electricity can jump to anyone who gets too close," the office said.
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Energized lines can be dangerous from up to 35 feet away, the office said.
No one can tell if a power line is energized by looking at it. All downed lines should be considered live. It is crucial to avoid water on the ground in the presence of these lines.
The proper way to move away from a downed line is to shuffle away in small steps, preventing a strong electric shock. Do not drive over downed lines.
Do not attempt to move a downed line with an object, even if a non-conductive object like a stick is used. Any water on that object can conduct electricity.
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