Alaska State Troopers last week arrested two Anchor Point men for third-degree assault, a felony, and reckless endangerment after they allegedly burned a 5-year-old boy in what one man called "a practical joke gone wrong." Stephen Ray Dilley II, 32, and Johnathon M. Miller, 29, are both in custody at Wildwood Pretrial Facility in Kenai. Dilley also is charged with violating a protective order for being within 500 feet of the boy's mother. Troopers arrested Dilley at his mobile home parked near the woman's home in Anchor Point off the Sterling Highway. Miller was arrested at the Homer Police Department after he agreed to meet troopers there.

Troopers allege that on Nov. 13, Miller sprayed a can of starter fluid and lit it, pointing what he called "a redneck flamethrower" at the boy. The boy was in his house and came out of his room after Miller called him. Dilley held the door for the boy and is alleged to have had the idea to shoot the flamethrower at the boy.

According to a criminal complaint by Trooper Ryan Browning, the Office of Children's Services notified troopers on Nov. 16 that a 5-year-old Chapman School student had come to school with burns to his face and head. OCS also told Browning the boy's mother had been taken to South Peninsula Hospital for an overdose of prescription medications.

Browning went to Chapman that afternoon and saw burns on the boy's head and also noted his hair had been singed. The boy said the burning happened when he was at his home with Miller and "Steve-O," or Dilley. Browning took the boy to South Peninsula Hospital, where a doctor said the boy had second-degree burns to his face and head.

Troopers contacted Dilley at his motorhome. Browning said Dilley told him he and Miller had been at the boy's home with another child. Dilley said he has been helping take care of the boy and four other children of the boy's mother. Dilley has a child with the woman and Miller is the woman's current boyfriend.

Dilley told troopers he and Miller had been outside the boy's home smoking on the porch. Dilley said he grabbed a can of starter fluid, and he and Miller went inside. "You know what would be funny?" Dilley said, giving Miller the can. Dilley told troopers that Miller said, "Do you know how much trouble I could get in?" Miller called for the boy, Dilley opened the door and when the boy came out, Miller lit the starter fluid. The boy's head lit on fire, and the men doused the flames with their hands.

Miller told troopers he would meet them at the Homer Police Department for an interview and was arrested by police there. Troopers interviewed him at the jail. Miller told troopers he didn't take the boy to the emergency room because he didn't think the burns were that bad. "Why go make bills for yourself over little things?" Miller allegedly told troopers. Miller said he was trying to toughen up the boy. "The best way to do that is scare the s--- out of them when they don't see it coming," troopers said Miller told them.

The mother told troopers she didn't know how her son got hurt and that Miller told her it was an accident by the burn barrel.

Citing student confidentiality, Chapman School Principal Sharon Trout said she couldn't comment on the incident. She said the school does take seriously the safety of students.

"Our number one priority is to make sure the kids who walk through the building are safe," Trout said.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District has policies in place requiring teachers, administrators, nurses and other certified staff to report suspicion of child abuse within 24 hours, said Assistant Superintendent Sean Dusek.

"If we have any reasonable suspicion of abuse, we're required to report," he said.