A Texas family discovered a package had been left outside their home recently, and when they took it inside to open it, an explosion went off. All three family members present sustained a serious burn injury in the explosion. Investigators do not know if the family had received threats prior to this incident.
A neighbor stated that he heard screaming and saw the 26-year-old father, who was badly burned, running outside with his 5-year-old daughter. He said that it looked like the man was carrying a ball of fire as he ran from the home. The neighbor reported hearing the man screaming that ‘the package said to the addressee.” The father and mother were airlifted to a medical center in San Antonio, while the daughter was airlifted to a hospital in Galveston.
So far, investigators have not determined a motive or sender for the package. The FBI and ATF are working with local police to determine who caused this needless devastation. In addition to the explosion that caused the injuries, police stated that there were also undetonated explosives in the package. These explosives were later detonated by the bomb squad.
For this Texas family, the focus on their recovery may be clouded by fear until the person responsible for this incident is found. In addition to the physical pain from the burn injury, the financial implications of such an injury may be challenging. Anyone in Texas who suffers a burn injury due to the negligence or wrongdoing of another party may find it within their rights to seek civil claims against that party. These claims are in addition to any criminal charges filed and may help the victims recover damages for their injuries and loss.
Source: reporternews.com, “Texas followup: Injured ID’d in package bomb blast at Brownsville home,” Christopher Sherman, Jan. 12, 2013
