Florida teen burned in bonfire remains in coma, outlook ‘optimistic’

Doctors are “optimistic” about a 14-year-old girl’s recovery after she was in Fort Pierce.

"With intensive and prolonged therapy, she will return to where she left off," according to an update on a GoFundMe account for Layne Chesney's medical costs.

Chesney suffers burns on 95 percent of her body, and was put into a medically induced coma at Kendall Regional Medical Center near Miami. According to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Chesney got burned when a can of gasoline exploded in her hands while she tried to use it to fuel the fire.

Chesney’s parents and 18-year-old Hunter Holmes, whose house the bonfire was at, also suffered burns while they tried to put out the flames on Layne. The parents were released from the hospital on Thursday, but Holmes remains there in fair condition, according to a spokesman from the hospital.

According to the new update, an eye doctor checked Chesney and said her “left eye is near perfect,” and although her right eye is still swollen and irritated, “he is optimistic she will have no vision issues.”

A physical therapist also checked on Chesney and said “she is confident she will regain all mobility” and “hopeful that she will be able to play softball again.”

So far, the Chesney family has raised more than $39,000, with 787 donations in the past five days, according to the GoFundMe website.

Staff writer Hannah Winston contributed to this report. 

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