A boy is back home and recovering after his father kidnapped him in May and set fire to a car with the child still inside.
Bennett Dornellas, 3, suffered third-degree burns over 90 percent of his body but was photographed smiling in the days leading up to his release on Monday.
His father, 32-year-old Joshua Bennett Dornellas, was arrested after leading officers on a chase that started in South Carolina and ended in Georgia, leaving the car engulfed in flames.
According to police, it began with the violent attack on Bennett and his mother in the family’s Anderson County home, leading to Dornellas abducting the boy and driving him across state lines on I-85.
Georgia State Police soon became involved, and Dornellas eventually set the truck he was driving on fire before jumping out at 55 mph. Bennett was left inside to burn, but officers were miraculously able to save his life.
Four months later, Bennett is back home and his father is being held without bail.
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Bennett Dornellas, 3, suffered third-degree burns over 90 percent of his body after his father kidnapped him in May and set a car on fire with him still inside. He is seen here at a burn center in Augusta, Georgia, where he was released Tuesday
His father, 32-year-old Joshua Bennett Dornellas, is in custody after leading officers on a chase that ended with a car fire in Georgia after it started in South Carolina.
“Today was amazing! Lots of tears shed, tears of joy,” Bennett’s mother, Chelsea Oliver, said in a social media post celebrating Bennett’s release.
“Thank you all,” said the woman, who recently divorced the suspect and shares several other children with him.
“We are eternally grateful to all of you! We will miss all of our wonderful nurses and doctors, but we will be back more often for checkups and future surgeries.”
In a follow-up post, Oliver wrote: ‘Bennett is sleeping soundly and so happy to be home!!
He laughed so hard at Uncle Jeremy and Ridge playing with him [W]“Oodys hat,” she added, referring to Bennet’s faithful Toy Story doll that was always with him during his stay in intensive care.
“I am so happy that all my babies live under one roof and we can spend quality time together.”
The post radiated positivity, despite the severe scars and burns still visible on the boy’s face.
Photos showed him reunited with Oliver outside the family’s home, while another showed him flashing a heartwarming smile inside.
The boy is seen here outside his home with his mother, Chelsea Oliver, on Monday as his road to recovery continues
The photo shows the family home in May after Bennett was abducted by his father following an alleged assault incident involving the boy and his mother.
Bennet on better days. His family said he is happy to be home with his siblings and toys
Similar scenes were captured by Oliver when her son spent four months in the burn center in Augusta, where he was recovering after his father allegedly kidnapped him and doused him with gasoline before setting him on fire.
After initially fleeing the home where Bennet lives with his mother, Dornellas grabbed the boy, drove him away in his truck and threatened to kill the child as officers approached, Georgia State Patrol officials said.
Officers then attempted to stop the truck by wrapping it up, but were ultimately unsuccessful.
According to the Georgia agency, the suspect, who has a violent past that has caused a rift with his wife, intentionally set fire to his car while the child was still inside.
He jumped out of the driver’s window while driving at 55 mph (88 km/h), causing the car to burst into flames and crash into an embankment near mile marker 166, police said.
Officers were able to quickly remove the boy from the vehicle, but not before he suffered severe burns over most of his body.
Medical professionals took over the rest of his treatment, putting him on a ventilator and performing a series of surgeries to completely close his skin.
Ultimately, he succeeded, but even after his release last week, he will still require a number of procedures during his follow-up visits to Augusta as he continues his recovery.
His faithful Woody figure has been by his side the whole way as he continues to put on a brave face on his road to recovery, while his father faces a litany of charges for his actions
His father was due to appear in court on September 9, but was denied bail for the third time.
He remains in custody pending an investigation by the Georgia State Patrol, after the Anderson County sheriff reported that Dornellas was arrested April 21 at the family’s Belton home for leaving Bennet and four other children, all under the age of 11, home alone.
One of those children, a toddler, was later found wandering the streets, police said.
A few days later, police charged him with domestic violence after he attacked the child’s mother, who then decided to file a restraining order against Dornellas.
This paved the way for the May 8 incident, in which Bennett suffered “third-degree burns over 90% of his small body,” the family said in an online fundraiser that has since raised more than $80,000.
Dornellas, who was driving a gold F-150, faces a long list of criminal charges, including attempted murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, first-degree child abuse, first-degree arson, aggravated assault on a police officer and endangering a child while driving under the influence.
He also faces a series of motor vehicle and traffic violations, and more than 20 years in prison if found guilty. No trial date has been set.