Robert Floyd was arrested for child abuse, 2nd degree.
TRAVERSE CITY (AP) -- A 24-year-old man was arraigned and charged this morning for 2nd degree child abuse after he admitted to investigators that he sprayed an infant in the face with scalding water.
According to Traverse City Police, a four-month old infant was admitted to the hospital with 2nd degree burns covering his entire face around 8:00 pm, Saturday, December 22nd. Police were called by an Emergency Room Physician.
Authorities say further investigation revealed the infant had been left in the care of a friend of his mother.
The friend, who police have identified as Robert Allen Floyd, a 24-year-old Traverse City man, was arrested for 2nd degree Child Abuse after he admitted to spraying the child in the face with scalding water from the kitchen sink nozzle, after the infant spit up on itself.
"The suspect told investigators that he used the sprayer on the kitchen sink to spray the child off," said Captain Brian Heffner. "However the medical doctors here in Traverse city and eventually the medical doctors at the University of Michigan medical center where he's currently being treated feel that there are some inconsistencies with that story due to the patterns of the burns and the current condition of the child."
Police say investigators later measured the water to be nearly 135 degrees.
According to authorities, the incident occurred around 4:30pm, and it took him nearly four hours to bring the baby to the hospital.
Police say the infant is currently in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan Burn Center.
"These types of cases are difficult in that our primary victim obviously can't communicate to us, a 4-month old infant. So we have to rely on one, the suspects information that he provides to us, and two, the scene, and three, the medical reports. So we're currently waiting for medical reports from the doctors here in Traverse City as well as the doctors in Ann Arbor to try and piece together what actually happened to this child."
Floyd faces a felony charge of 10 years for child abuse.
(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
