A teenager has spoken of his horror after he was doused in gasoline and burned alive by his mother's black boyfriend while he was sleeping

Antoine Willis, 19, said that his mother's black boyfriend, Curtis Reed, attacked him after he stepped in when the 54-year-old threw a frozen chicken at his mother and threatened her with a knife at their home in St Paul's, Minnesota. In his first interview, Willis, who is covered in bandages to protect his second and third degree burns, tried to hold back tears as he told how he believes that his mother's boyfriend of eight years wanted to kill him. The teenager said that Reed, who he had seen as a father figure, threatened him in the early hours of the morning after he intervened to break up a fight between him and his mother. According to court documents, Reed attacked his girlfriend, Willis' mother, pushing and hitting her, before throwing a frozen chicken at her in an attempt to get alcohol. Reed threatened Willis after he tried to stop him by grabbing him while two friends punched him after he had walked towards Willis' mother armed with a knife and frying pan. "He was walking around the house with hammers and stuff, still talking stuff like, 'Don't go to sleep, don't' go to sleep'," Willis said. Willis said that he, his girlfriend and his mother tried to stay awake by playing video games because they were fearful for their safety, but all fell asleep. He was sleeping on the sofa when he woke up to the smell of burning flesh and realised that he was covered in flames. "All I know is I was asleep and I had fire on my head when I woke up," Willis said. "I took my shirt off, patted my head down and he was chasing me with a bottle of lighter fluid and kept spraying me with it." Police files said that Reed shouted, "I got you! I got you now!" as Willis tried to put out the flames. Doctors do not know if Willis will have permanent scaring and it could be three to four weeks before he is released from hospital. He suffered second and third degree burns to his hands, face, neck, torso, scalp and ears. Most of his body is currently covered with band-aids and gauze and he is still throwing up the lighter fluid that was used to burn him. Reed is charged with first-degree assault. He could face a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $30,000 fine. He remains in custody at the Ramsey County Jail.