A grand jury in Georgia said no — police will not face charges for mistakenly tossing a flash grenade into a toddler’s crib, blowing off his nose and injuring his chest during a drug raid gone wrong in May.
Then-19-month-old toddler Bounkham “Bou Bou” Phonesavanh was sleeping in his crib when SWAT members initiated a no-knock raid at the home he was visiting with his mother, hoping to catch a reported drug dealer. The suspect, it was later learned, wasn’t at the home at the time but was apprehended without incident shortly after.
The toddler, meanwhile, was taken to the hospital for treatment of several injuries — his nose was detached, his chest had a massive hole in it, and his body suffered serious burns. His mother, visiting the home from out of state, said he’s due to have several more surgeries in the coming years. And an attorney for the family said “Bou Bou” received 60 stitches on his face and another 70 on his chest in a surgery conducted just a few weeks ago, Raw Story reported.
In the end, officers didn’t even find any drugs or weapons at the home.
But a 23-member grand jury panel that heard six days of testimony ultimately ruled that none of the officers involved in the raid should be charged, Raw Story reported. WGCL-TV reported that officials were planning to hold a news conference to give more details about the grand jury’s decision sometime this week.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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