Battle Creek boy, 12, scalded; mom arrested

A 40-year-old Battle Creek woman was jailed Tuesday after her 12-year-old son said she scalded him with hot water.

The boy was taken to Bronson Battle Creek for treatment of burns to his chest and the mother was later found at work and arrested on a charge of aggravated felonious assault.

She denied the incident, telling Battle Creek police she did not burn the boy and would never hurt her child.

Officers were called at 12:06 p.m. Monday by the boy's father who lives in Memphis, Tenn. He called 911 after receiving a video call from his son, who showed him the injuries.

The boy told police he had been sleeping in the television room of the family house on West Coolidge Street. About 3 a.m. Monday he awoke and was going to go to bed. He said he saw his mother, who was up preparing to go to work, and she threw hot liquid in a cup at him. He said she then forced him to leave the house. He walked to a nearby grocery store and then returned home. He knocked on a window and his older brother let him into the house about 4 a.m.

The older brother told police his mother and brother had been arguing after the younger boy sent a text message to the 17-year-old girlfriend of an older brother saying he wanted to have sex with her.

But the 14-year-old boy said his mother's discipline normally involved taking away a cell phone or sending the boy to his room. He said he didn't see the scalding of his younger brother.

The boys were placed in the custody of their grandmother.

Contact Trace Christenson at 269-966-0685 or tchrist@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter: @TSChristenson