Whisper
July 12th, 2010, 08:23 PM
Houston dad accused of putting toddler's feet in scalding bathwater
HOUSTON – A Houston toddler suffered second-degree burns to his feet and ankles after police say his father put him in scalding bathwater.
Vincent Itulu is facing felony injury to a child charges in connection with the incident.
Investigators said they were referred to the case by CPS caseworkers after the 19-month-old was taken to Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in June with burns.
According to court documents, when investigators interviewed Itulu, he told them the child was injured while getting a bath.
Itulu said he was pouring water from a plastic bowl over the boy while the boy stood in a tub.
When the boy started shivering, Itulu said he turned up the temperature.
After the bath was over, Itulu said he noticed the boy’s feet were red and swollen, so he called his wife.
The wife told him to take the boy to a friend’s house to see if she could help, and the friend advised the wife to call for an ambulance.
Court documents said doctors who examined the boy found evidence that contradicted Itulu’s account.
They said there should have been burns to other parts of the boy’s body if Itulu was pouring the hot water from the tub over him with a bowl.
Investigators later went to the home and filled a five-inch bath in the tub using hot water and then a combination of hot and cold water. In both cases, investigators said the water temperature quickly reached a high enough level to cause burns to a child’s skin in a matter of minutes.
[...]
http://www.khou.com/news/local/Houston-dad-accused-of-putting-toddlers-feet-in-scalding-bathwater-98275804.html
HOUSTON – A Houston toddler suffered second-degree burns to his feet and ankles after police say his father put him in scalding bathwater.
Vincent Itulu is facing felony injury to a child charges in connection with the incident.
Investigators said they were referred to the case by CPS caseworkers after the 19-month-old was taken to Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in June with burns.
According to court documents, when investigators interviewed Itulu, he told them the child was injured while getting a bath.
Itulu said he was pouring water from a plastic bowl over the boy while the boy stood in a tub.
When the boy started shivering, Itulu said he turned up the temperature.
After the bath was over, Itulu said he noticed the boy’s feet were red and swollen, so he called his wife.
The wife told him to take the boy to a friend’s house to see if she could help, and the friend advised the wife to call for an ambulance.
Court documents said doctors who examined the boy found evidence that contradicted Itulu’s account.
They said there should have been burns to other parts of the boy’s body if Itulu was pouring the hot water from the tub over him with a bowl.
Investigators later went to the home and filled a five-inch bath in the tub using hot water and then a combination of hot and cold water. In both cases, investigators said the water temperature quickly reached a high enough level to cause burns to a child’s skin in a matter of minutes.
[...]
http://www.khou.com/news/local/Houston-dad-accused-of-putting-toddlers-feet-in-scalding-bathwater-98275804.html