MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- The mother and uncle of a Minnesota burn victim stole $2,500 in money donated for his treatment to spend on gambling and drugs, a criminal complaint alleges.

Jeffrey Allen Stewart, 43, of South St. Paul, and Jodi Ann Stewart, 40, are accused of stealing $2,500 from a relief fund just weeks after Antoine Willis, 19, was burned and while he was still in the hospital in intensive care, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Wednesday.


Willis suffered burns to his body after his mother's boyfriend, Curtis Reed, doused him with charcoal lighter fluid July 20 as Willis was trying to protect his mother from Reed during a domestic dispute.

Willis told police he "did not encourage" his mother and uncle to create the relief fund accounts to collect donations because he did not trust his uncle.

"It's hard to think of a more significant breach of trust than the actions that are alleged to have occurred here," Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom told the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Both Jeffrey Stewart and Jodi Stewart were in jail Tuesday.

Jodi Stewart's former boyfriend Reed was scheduled to appear in court Nov. 7 on the first-degree assault charge, the Pioneer Press reported.