YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — A Youngstown resident is expected to be arraigned Friday in municipal court on multiple charges after allowing a 1-year-old child to be scalded by hot water.
Devontay Anderson, 28, was booked into the Mahoning County Jail on a charge of child endangering, a third-degree felony, as well as warrants from Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown on fifth-degree felony charges of identity fraud and possession of drugs.
Reports said police were called about 4:25 p.m. Wednesday to a home in the 500 block of Tod Lane for a report of people outside fighting. When they arrived, an ambulance was also present with a 1-year-old child inside who had suffered third-degree burns up to his thighs.
The women in the driveway told police they had left the home earlier to run some errands and one of them left their child there for Anderson to watch, reports said. As they were gone, reports said they received a text from a neighbor saying they could hear crying and banging coming from the home, and Anderson also called the group and said the child had red feet but did not say how that happened.
Anderson was not there when police arrived, reports said.
Reports said the child had deep burns to his legs and feet, and he was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Police checked the hot water tanks in the building and they were set for 120 degrees and 130 degrees, reports said.
Reports said officers also found two pieces of skin in the bathroom and water on the bathroom floor coming from the sink.
Anderson was later found in the backyard of a nearby home and was caught after a brief foot chase, reports said.
