2 Brutally Beaten For Bag Of Halloween Candy In NJ Horror Story

Danny Peterson went out for a fun treak-or-treat trip with his young cousin on Halloween in a typically peaceful New Jersey community. Instead, he ran into something completely horrifying.

Peterson, 29, and his young cousin, Ethan Drey, who has autism, were brually beaten for a bag of candy on Halloween, police said.

Peterson's face shows the effects of the assault: He suffered a broken jaw and he needed 28 stitches. The family has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for their medical care.

"Danny's jaw was broken in three places, he needed 28 stitches to close the wounds on his face, his earlobe had to be reattached, and he will need oral surgery for his broken jaw," his cousin, Jen Fernandez, said on the GoFundMe page.

It happened at approximately 6:48 p.m. when officers from the Egg Harbor City Police Department responded to the area of Philadelphia Avenue and Beethoven Street, the site of the incident.

Police soon identified Peterson, and then learned that he and his cousin, Ethan, were both assaulted by a group of juveniles.

The beatings took place after the large group followed Peterson and Ethan soon after they went out trick-or-treating, Fernandez said.

As they approached Peterson and Ethan from behind, Ethan heard one of the boys say he wanted his bag of candy. Ethan said no, and the brutal attack began, Fernandez said.

One of the group members knocked the bag of candy out of Ethan's hand, and Peterson was punched in the jaw, hit in the head with a pipe and knocked unconscious, Fernandez said.

While on the ground, the group continued their attack against Peterson. "It wasn't enough that my cousin Danny was lying on the ground in a pool of blood, Fernandez said. "No. They decided to attack Ethan as well."

Ethan's arms were held behind his back; he was then thrown to the ground and stomped on by the attackers until he lost consciousness, according to Fernandez.

Drey suffered a concussion while Peterson will need surgery once his swelling goes down, Fernandez said.

"Danny is in pain, but I still have my brother," his sister, Alicia, said on Facebook.

In no way, Fernandez said, could Peterson have done anything to provoke this attack, saying he is a sweet, caring person. who would "give you the shirt off his back or the last dollar in his pocket."

"He enjoys making people laugh and smile, and jumps on the opportunity to help make someone happy," she said.

Ethan and his family, she said, just returned to the East Coast a few months ago. His family moved out West for a promising job opportunity, but after getting the family settled in to their new home and routine, Ethan's mother became ill.

Since the medical care she needed was not available in the area, Ethan's parents made the decision to move back east. "They packed up, left their new home and job, and came back to South Jersey to be close to friends, family, and medical care," Fernandez said.

The Egg Harbor City Police Department and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office have been conducting an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Egg Harbor City police at 609-965-2901 ext. 4.

Photo courtesy of GoFundMe, a promotional partner of Patch