Woman Accused of Forcing Small Children to Sit in Scalding Bath, Causing 1 of Them to Have Seizure
Malynda Harrison was arrested on a child endangerment charge for allegedly putting two children in scalding hot water, per police
Gallia County Sheriff's Office
A 22-year-old Ohio woman has been arrested after two children left in her care allegedly suffered severe burns, authorities say.
Malynda R. Harrison of Crown City, Ohio, was arrested and charged with child endangerment after authorities responded on Thursday, June 6, to an emergency call involving two children at a home in Guyan Township, Ohio, the Gallia County Sheriff's Office said.
There, authorities found a 5-year-old girl with “severe burns to a large portion of her body,” the sheriff's statement said, and the child was taken to a medical center.
In an ensuing investigation, authorities determined the young girl suffered the burn injuries as “a direct result of intentional acts committed” by an adult responsible for taking care of her, authorities said.
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Authorities also found another child, a 4-year-old, at the residence with similar burns, WSAZ reported, citing a criminal complaint.
Harrison allegedly told authorities that she had placed the two children in a bathtub with hot water and physically restrained them from escaping the tub, per the criminal complaint.
The children were also not allowed to change the temperature of the water, Harrison allegedly told authorities, the complaint stated.
As a result, one of the children suffered a seizure and second-degree burns and another child suffered first- and second-degree burns, according to the complaint.
At the time of the alleged crime, she was in a relationship with the children’s father, WKYT reported.
It wasn't immediately clear if she has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on her behalf.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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