In Babcock Ranch, Florida, four teenage girls are recovering after a frightening firework attack left them with serious burns and injuries. The shocking incident happened last Friday night while the girls, including 16-year-old Kaia, were riding in a golf cart around their neighborhood northeast of Fort Myers.
Kaia and her three friends were enjoying their evening when a silver car suddenly sped up beside them. Out of nowhere, a teenage boy in the car reportedly lit a firework and threw it into their golf cart. Kaia’s mother, Ambree Barrett, recalled what her daughter witnessed. “She said she saw him smiling as he lit the firework and threw it. That image keeps replaying in her mind.”
The moment the girls noticed smoke filling the cart, they quickly jumped out, trying to escape. Tragically, the golf cart veered off course and crashed into some nearby trees. The crash left two of the girls in the hospital. One of the victims, who was driving, broke her foot and experienced a return of her epilepsy due to the trauma.
“She’s been to the hospital twice now because of seizures. It’s just insane,” the girl’s mother said.
Kaia also suffered severe injuries, including a fractured skull and a brain bleed. After several days in a hospital bed, she’s now alert, but the ordeal has left lasting scars—both physical and emotional. Her mother spoke about the terrifying experience, saying, “I can’t forget the way she screamed and held her head. Watching your child go through that and feeling helpless—it’s a parent’s worst nightmare.”
Authorities from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office are actively investigating the incident, hoping to hold the person responsible for this cruel act accountable. Barrett, like many others, wants justice. “The damage they’ve caused, physically and emotionally, is devastating. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”
The incident has shaken the tight-knit community of Babcock Ranch, as neighbors and families rally around the victims, hoping for a swift resolution to the case.
