Officials in Georgia’s Habersham County are refusing to pay for the mounting medical expenses of a toddler seriously injured by a flash grenade after a failed SWAT team raid earlier this year.
Bounkham 'Bou Bou' Phonesavanh was just 19 months old when a Habersham SWAT team initiated a no-knock warrant at his family’s home at around 3 a.m. on May 28. Bou Bou was asleep in his crib at the time, surrounded by his family and three sisters. The toddler was severely injured when SWAT team officers broke through the house’s door and threw a flashbang grenade that ultimately landed in the Bou Bou’s crib.
When the stun grenade went off, it caused severe burns on the child and opened a gash in his chest. As a result, Bou Bou lost the ability to breathe on his own and was left in a medically induced coma for days after the incident. His extensive recovery necessitated stays in two hospitals before he finally went home in July.
Bou Bou was the innocent victim of a tragic mistake. There is no reason why his family should be stuck with paying for his medical costs when his suffering is due to the actions of the SWAT team.
We the undersigned ask that Habersham County take responsibility for the actions of its SWAT team, and for the suffering inflicted on Bounkham Phonesavanh and his family. We ask that you pay all of his medical expenses, rather than let the victims of a botched SWAT raid be bled white.
