10-Years in Prison for Woman Who Burned Sleeping Boyfriend With Boiling Water

A cold day in Roselle, about a 40-minute drive from Chicago.

January 2, 2021.

Alexis Sykes seemed like her ordinary self. The 22-year-old boiled a pot of water on the stove. She grabbed her phone and turned on the camera. Without hesitation, she threw the water on her sleeping boyfriend

The unnamed man screamed in agony as skin fell off his arms. Shocked and confused, he didn't understand why Alexis threw hot water on him. He pleaded with her to help, begging her to call 9-1-1 or take him to the hospital. She grabbed his car keys and hid them from her boyfriend.

She stood back and smirked as she watched him cry in pain.

Second- and Third-Degree Burns

The man eventually found his car keys and drove to a local hospital. He was transferred to a specialty burn unit where he spent the next two weeks receiving treatment for second and third-degree burns. He required a skin graft to treat the burns.

Sykes fled the state, but was initially charged with two counts of aggravated battery by caustic substance and two counts of aggravated domestic battery after the attack.

Attack Video Posted to Snapchat

Sykes posted the video of the entire incident to Snapchat with the text: “I kinda feel bad now because he got 2nd and 3rd degree burns from face to waist and they rushin him to burn center -- but oh well," Sykes wrote. "He still cried and beg me to drive him to the hospital." She included two emojis in the post: a shrugging shoulder and a blowing kiss.

Sykes Arrested

On January 19, police located Sykes in Mississippi and took her into custody.

She never provided a motive for the vicious act.

DuPage County state’s attorney, Robert Berlin, said, "The charges against Ms Sykes are very disturbing. Dousing a sleeping man with boiling water causing serious, painful injury, as alleged in this case, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Sentencing & Case Aftermath

Facing six to 30 years in prison, Sykes pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated battery by caustic substance. The original charges against her were dropped in exchange for the plea. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison and must serve at least 85% (8 ½ years) of her sentence before she’s eligible for release.

“The cruelty displayed by Ms. Sykes as she doused her sleeping boyfriend with a pot of boiling water is extremely disturbing,” DuPage County State Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “Considering her complete disregard for the amount of pain and suffering she caused her victim, one can only come to the conclusion that she most certainly earned every year of her ten-year sentence.”

Alexis remains behind bars.

Best wishes to this man. I hope he has made a full recovery.

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