Updated 03/23/2011 08:41 PM
Mother Accused of Scalding 4-Year-Old Son
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A Rochester mother is now accused of putting her four-year-old son in scalding hot bath water. Police say the little boy now has life long injuries.
It all happened inside a Seneca Manor Drive apartment on Super Bowl Sunday. Police say 18-year-old Saamiya Thomas intentionally held her son in water for an extended period of time.
"I can't put something like this into perspective," said Sgt. Mark Freese of the Rochester Police Department. "I don't know why something like this occurred."
The little boy has second and third degree burns over forty percent of his body. His mother brought him to the hospital.
"Calls were made to Child Protective Services and the police department and we initiated an investigation into this thing," said Freese.
At first Thomas was not charged and even visited her son in the burn unit. But after a month and a half that changed.
"We just didn't feel that her story was the way this could have happened," said Freese. "This was because we worked with people through Strong, different scientific explanations as to how burns occurred to children."
The Bivona Child Advocacy Center helped police with the investigation. Executive director Mary Whittier can't discuss specifics of the case but says severe burns are devastating, especially to a child.
"We focus a lot here at Bivona on the healing and the help," said Whittier. "Regardless of what happens from a legal standpoint the most important thing for children is for them to be able to move forward and live a healthy, happy life."
The little boy remains in the burn unit here at Strong. He has permanent disfigurement to his legs, arm, hand, genitals and feet. He also has a tracheotomy and is going to need lifelong care.
"With this situation it sort of highlights the issue of child abuse and I think provides an opportunity for folks to talk about in the community," said Whittier. "April is Child Abuse Awareness Month."
Thomas remains in jail on $30,000 bail. Her son has other family members helping with his recovery.
"He's a wonderful little boy and he's doing remarkably well considering what he has to go through," said Freese.