‘Don’t regret giving her a chance’: Raccoon allegedly set on fire in Quincy dies after 3 surgeries

QUINCY, Mass — The raccoon that was set on fire in Quincy last week tragically passed away Friday after its third surgery.

The injured woodland creature went back under the knife Thursday, where staff members noticed more skin had died since her last procedure. A Medical team removed the necrotic tissue and applied honey but the injured patient was lethargic Friday morning.

Shortly after giving her her morning medicine, the raccoon went into cardiac arrest. Her care team attempted CPR but was unable to bring her back.

“We are all very sad today, but don’t regret giving her a chance. We know she was fighting until the end,” the New England Wildlife Center wrote on Facebook.

Andrew Chieu, 63 is accused of allegedly setting the rodent on fire and faces animal cruelty charges.

Officers responded to an incident on Royal Street on December 30 and were greeted by two arguing neighbors and found a live raccoon suffering from apparent burn injuries in a trap cage, police said.

Video obtained by investigators allegedly showed Chieu placing the raccoon in the cage and then on top of a can that contained an intensifying fire, according to police.

An investigation is ongoing.

“Thank you to everyone who offered kindness and support along the way. We would also like to thank the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office and the Quincy Police Department for their continued efforts on this case. We hope her story will help encourage people to co-exist with these amazing animals and will help prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future,” the wildlife center says.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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