Glass bottle injures teen during Scott Parade, family looking for answers

SCOTT, L.a. — A teenage boy is recovering after he was hit in the head by a full-size glass vodka bottle thrown from an unknown float in Sunday's Scott Mardi Gras parade.

Family members say it was 14-year-old James Leverton's first time reveling after moving to Acadiana from Texas in August. But they tell KATC a day of family fun quickly turned into something no one saw coming.

"I didn't see the bottle and was trying to grab beads for my cousin," the teen tells KATC. "It kind of was like getting hit with a plank, a wood plank."

The bottle to the head — resulting in one hospital visit which Leverton's mother, Michelle, says lead to five staples to the scalp and a $650 co-pay, amongst other unforeseen bills. Now, the mom wants answers.

"It's in the rules and regulations for the parade, glass bottles are not allowed, they're not even supposed to be on the route," Michelle says.

According to police, they have yet to receive a report on the incident but will look into it further on Tuesday. In the meantime, Michelle Leverton is asking for the person at fault to come forward.

"That easily could've been the death of a child if it hit any of the other children near him," she says. "How can somebody be that irresponsible? I understand having fun, been there, done that... there's a difference between having fun and being absolutely irresponsible, and that's absolutely irresponsible."

Still, James says, all things considered, it's a small price to pay.

"It's better if you're the one getting hit instead of the kids," he tells KATC. "Because it could've been anyone, it could've been my little cousins."

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