6yo boy assaulted, hospitalised after trying to protect friend from bullies

A six-year-old boy may lose one of his eyes after he was brutally attacked by a group of children after he tried to stop them from bullying his friend. Photo / GoFundMe

A 6-year-old boy may lose one of his eyes after he was brutally attacked by a group of children after he tried to stop them from bullying his friend.

US schoolboy Carter English confronted a group of seven boys who were bullying his friend outside an apartment complex in Washington on Wednesday.

But the group suddenly turned on Carter, hitting him with rocks and sticks before rubbing sawdust in his eye.

"They were just bullying him, like beating him up," Carter told KOMO.

"I just told them to stop... and then they did it to me."

Carter was left with a broken arm, a fractured elbow in three places, lacerated eye and several cuts across his head.

The damage to his eyeball is so severe he faces the possibility of losing his eye.

Carter's mother Dana English said her 6-year-old son has had surgery to try to repair his eye.

She told KOMO she feels helpless and heartbroken.

A six-year-old boy may lose one of his eyes after he was brutally attacked by a group of children after he tried to stop them from bullying his friend. Photo / GoFundMe

"It's been hell," Dana said. "I haven't slept. I haven't eaten. I can't do anything. I can't even leave his side.

"They pulled rocks and pieces of debris out of his eye. It's heartbreaking and it's disgusting."

Carter may need surgery on his arm and is scared he may be attacked again.

Police have identified a 5-year-old who they believe started the attack, and they're planning to get social services involved.

"I really don't know what I'm hoping for other than for people to know that this is not acceptable," Dana said.

"Bullying is not okay. There's no reason to bully someone ever."

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family pay for Carter's medical bills.

So far more than US$12,800 ($19,000) has been raised.