Georgia county refuses to pay medical bills after SWAT tosses grenade into baby’s crib

Posted: Aug 18, 2014 / 04:37 PM MDT / Updated: Aug 18, 2014 / 04:49 PM MDT

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HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — Officials in Habersham County, Ga., said Monday they do not plan to pay for the medical expenses of a toddler seriously burned during a police raid based on faulty intelligence.

Bounkham Phonesavah, affectionately known as “Baby Boo Boo,” spent weeks in a burn unit after a SWAT team’s flash-bang grenade exploded in his face. The toddler was just 19 months old when officers executed a no-knock warrant on his family’s home, tossing the “less-lethal” device into his crib, WSBTV reported.

Police said a confidential informant told them he had bought drugs at the home, but no drugs or suspects were found inside.

Habersham County officials initially said they would consider helping pay hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of medical bills for the toddler, but on Monday announced that they will not.

“The question before the board was whether it is legally permitted to pay these expenses,” officials said. “After consideration of this question following advice of counsel, the board of commissioners has concluded that it would be in violation of the law for it to do so.”

The Phonesavahs’ attorney said that isn’t good enough, and that the family will sue if necessary.