MIAMI -- One of five teenagers arrested in connection with the burning of a 15-year-old boy now faces an attempted murder charge.

The five suspects were arrested in connection with the burning of Michael Brewer. Police said the teens doused Brewer with rubbing alcohol and used a lighter to set him on fire Monday at a Deerfield Beach apartment complex.

Brewer was rushed to the burn unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where doctors said he could need treatment for several months for his life-threatening injuries, plus possibly a year of physical therapy.

Two suspects in the attack on Brewer faced a juvenile court judge Wednesday, one day after the three others appeared in court.

Fifteen-year-old Jesus Mendez, who detectives said actually lit Brewer on fire using a lighter, appeared in court and faces an attempted murder charge. The other four suspects are charged with aggravated assault.

Mendez's mother refused to comment after the hearing. His attorney said that at this point, there is not much they can say.

"It's just a tragic event for all parties involved," the attorney said. "They don't have any other information other than what's been stated here in court today. They're kind of walking in blind to the situation, too."

The mother of the second 15-year-old suspect who appeared in court Wednesday said she was praying for Brewer and his family but was told by detectives that her son played a minimal role, just hanging out with the wrong crowd at the wrong time.

"I don't know what he could have done once the kid was in flames. There wasn't too much he could have done but get over there and probably got on fire as well," she said.

The other three suspects involved are being held in juvenile detention while prosecutors decide whether to charge them as adults.

Two of the suspects who appeared in court Tuesday are brothers, 13 and 15 years old. Detectives said the older brother orchestrated the attack in retaliation because Brewer snitched on him when he tried to steal Brewer's father's bike on Sunday.

Local 10's Roger Lohse spoke with attorney Valerie Williams, who is representing the older brother. Police said they believe the older brother poured the rubbing alcohol on Brewer.

"He's upset with how he's being portrayed," Williams said.

Williams said her client's involvement has been inaccurately portrayed by detectives.

"I do believe that a lot of the information in the media is incorrect. At some point later on, we will correct the information," Williams said.

The family of the two brothers is staying away from their Pompano Beach home because they have received menacing phone calls and death threats. Through their attorneys, they have expressed remorse for the family of Brewer.

The juvenile court judge decided that all five suspects will be held for the next 21 days, until prosecutors determine whether to charge them as adults.

Teen's Injuries 'Life-Changing'

Brewer was transferred to the burn unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital on Monday. Two days later, he remained on a ventilator and was heavily sedated because of pain.

"This is an injury that would be among the worst," said Dr.Nicholas Namias, the head of the burn unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

It is unlikely he will remember being in the hospital because of the sedation, Local 10's Terrell Forney reported.

"The body was just not intended to be set on fire," Namias said.

Doctors said Brewer has second- and third-degree burns over 65 percent of his body.

"He's in extremely high risk for infection and we absolutely expect there will be infections. We just keep looking for them and try to treat them when we find them," Namias said.

A team of doctors have been carefully looking after Brewer, who will likely need several skin grafts. However, with so much of his skin severely scarred, the process could be problematic for surgeons.

"We need skin to replace the burned skin, and despite the modern technologies, there's no good replacement for your own skin," Namias said.

For now, Brewer faces months in the hospital's intensive care unit.

"I explained to the family that the expectation is that there will be good days and bad days, probably more bad days than good, and we expect to go through a number of organ system failures and infections," Namias said.

Experts said Brewer's injuries are life-threatening.

"I would say that his young age goes in his favor, but the size of the burn, the depth of the burn, and the fact that he probably inhaled some smoke during his burn is against him," Namias said.

Much of Brewer's face is still intact, but his ability to use his arms, legs and fingers will be determined months down the road, when doctors evaluate the damage to his joints.

"We're looking at a year before we can say we're well on the road to rehabilitation, and in terms of ever completely getting over this, it's a lifelong thing. This is a life-changing event," Namias said.