A North Carolina father was arrested after he allegedly burned his 7-week-old baby with hot bath water before dropping the child off at his grandparents’ home while the infant’s skin was “peeling” off.
Jaylen Walker has been charged with felony child abuse after his son allegedly suffered second- and third-degree “burns” to his body “from hot water” during an incident on Wednesday, October 21, according to court documents viewed by Law & Crime.
“On or about the date of offense shown and in the county named above the defendant unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did intentionally inflict serious bodily injury … on [the child],” an arrest warrant stated. “The defendant was the child’s parent.”
Prosecutors claim that after Walker, 22, allegedly burnt his child while giving him a bath, he called his son’s grandparents and explained the alleged situation. Walker allegedly told them that he tried to apply Vaseline to the child’s body as his skin kept peeling away, according to WGHP. Prosecutors added that he later dropped the child off with his grandparents.
Walker then allegedly told the child’s mother about the burns, at which point she urged him to seek emergency help. The woman was not home at the time of the incident because she was at work.
“She was in constant contact with the father, advising him he needed to call 911 and that she was on her way,” a prosecutor claimed during Walker’s first court appearance on Friday, October 23.
The child’s mother ultimately called 911 to report the burns, and Greensboro police and emergency crews were dispatched to an apartment complex around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. EMS personnel were already at the scene by the time the officers arrived.
The baby was taken to the hospital for treatment, where doctors reportedly discovered that he had healing rib fractures in addition to the burns.
Prosecutors said during the hearing that officers could not locate Walker for several hours after the incident, and he was eventually found at a local grocery store. He was then taken into custody around 1 a.m. on Thursday, October 22.
Meanwhile, Walker’s defense argued that he had no criminal record and that there was no evidence to indicate that he intentionally hurt his son.
Walker has since been denied bond. He’s scheduled to return to court on Wednesday, November 25.
It’s not currently clear if Walker has entered a plea, and an attorney was not immediately able to be contacted. The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
