Deputies: Florida man poured scalding hot water on 2-year-old girl
DADE CITY, FL (WFLA) – A Dade City man who investigators say poured scalding hot water on a toddler, will go before a judge Monday.
The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jonathan Lee Howard, 26, and charged him with child neglect.
Deputies say Howard had custodial supervision of the 2-year-old girl, and while in his care she suffered 2nd-degree burns on her scalp, torso, arm, vagina, buttocks and leg.
According to the sheriff’s office, Howard admitted to pouring hot water on the child, but first told detectives she may have been burned by an exploding lighter.
Deputies say Howard did not get medical attention for the child until the day after the incident.
She was airlifted to a local hospital where medical staff said her wounds were consistent with a scalding hot liquid.
Howard was taken into custody on Sunday. He was booked into the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center on a $10,000 bond.
Howard’s first appearance will be Monday afternoon at 1 p.m.