Matthew Morrison Admits To Throwing Lit Firecrackers Under Girl's Bed

Moms.com

Man Admits To Throwing Lit Firecrackers Under Girl's Bed In 'Prank Gone Wrong

By Kelli Catana

Published Jul 10, 2019

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office says Matthew Morrison admitted to throwing a lit firecracker in the bed of a sleeping 9-year-old girl.

In what must have been a terrifying ordeal for a 9-year-old Florida girl, a 44-year-old Florida man has been arrested after throwing "a string of lit firecrackers" under the child's bed as she slept. The man claimed that it was a "prank gone wrong."

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook that they received a call from a homeowner who stated that the man, Matthew Morrison, lived outside the property in a tent. The homeowner stated that Morrison entered the home without permission and proceeded to throw the string of lit firecrackers under the bed where the 9-year-old was sleeping.

Although the homeowner was able to chase Morrison out of the home with a stick, the young girl was still startled awake by the firecrackers. "The little girl told deputies she woke up to the sound of fireworks exploding in her room, causing her to be frightened, cry, and shake."

Morrison admitted to lighting the firecrackers but called it a "prank gone wrong." Morrison is now facing some pretty serious charges. The man has been arrested and charged with burglary, child cruelty without great harm, and possession of a controlled substance after deputies found two grams of methamphetamine in his pockets.

Commenters on both Facebook and Twitter were outraged that this could happen but also questioned how this man would have such easy access inside the house.

"Wow it’s really scary that this man had access to this child. Why was someone with his background allowed near a child. Not sure if the parents should be off the hook for their and irresponsible act of allowing this creep near their child," wrote one commenter. "Ugh, people. STOP putting dangerous people around your children and their precious lives!" wrote another.

Others were simply fearful that the child wouldn't be able to recover from the ordeal. One woman commented that "I hope that sweet baby girl will not have too much of PTSD from that!"

"She will suffer from PTSD for the rest of her life. No one on drugs has a decently thinking brain and they won’t make decent decisions. I hope he’s prosecuted," commented another woman.