Accused family says video proves no wrongdoing after boy from Bridgeport burned

By Matt McFarland and Evan Sobol

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    BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut (WFSB) — A little boy from Bridgeport was burned and allegations of bullying made headlines around the world.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised for his family.

After police said there was no wrongdoing, the family that was accused is sharing their story and they say the video clears them.

The family said this has been emotional for them too.

They said they wanted to wait for the police to do their investigation before releasing the video.

They claim it paints a far different picture than what was originally described.

The surveillance video shows boys in a backyard playing with gas cans, lighting fires, even kicking a flaming soccer ball around.

“They we’re interacting in the backyard being boys,” said Laura Giacobbe.

Giacobbe said she wasn’t home at the time, but her upstairs neighbor was supposed to be watching their four boys.

Unsupervised, 6-year-old Dominick Krankall would eventually catch on fire.

Giacobbe said it happened after he either kicked or stepped on a plastic cup filled with gasoline that was lit on fire.

Her older son even used his hands to put the fire out on Dominick’s face.

“Dominick was not left there to die. My 11 year old son, Lorenzo saved him, took his bare hands and took the fire out on his face,” said Giacobbe.

When the story first came out, Dominick’s family said Giacobbe’s kids threw a lit ball at him, saying it was a classic case of bullying.

“Next thing you know, I just hear my son screaming, help they set me on fire, mommy help they set me on fire,” said Aaron Krankall, Dominick’s father.

There was an outpouring of support.

Nearly $600,000 was raised on a GoFundMe page for the family.

There was even a parade of first responders for Dominick as he recovered, and a chance to hang with the New York Yankees.

Last week, Bridgeport police came out with their investigation, saying there is nothing in the video that portrays children deliberately setting the 6-year-old on fire.

Attorney Christian Young said, “it certainly wasn’t a young boy being lured around the corner by some pyromaniac bullies.”

Before that, Giacobbe says they we’re living in fear after getting threats from strangers following the accusations.

“The police department had to sit in front of the home overnight, to make sure nothing happened. It was stated the house would be lit on fire, they were going to drag my son and myself down the street and let us suffer from the pain,” said Giacobbe.

Dominick’s family said they didn’t see what happened, only hearing their son’s story, saying it never changed, and that they’ll use the go fund me money to find a new home and also donate to the salvation army.

As for Giacobbe and her family, she said they wanted to speak up now and show the video, to clear their names.

“For closure, for the truth now, for closure, I want this out there so I can have this out there. No more bullying, there was no bullying,” Giacobbe said. “Come out with the truth and not use their child for money. This is sickening, very sad that you can wrap a child and lie all over the world.”

The family’s attorney said they’re considering legal action.

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