WARNING – GRAPHIC IMAGES: Kaylee Robinson was scalded as “punishment” and could now lose her feet after suffering third-degree “sock burns” from her ankles to her toes
A toddler could lose her feet after her stepgrandmother allegedly dipped them into boiling water as punishment because she was having “a bad day”.
Kaylee Robinson, aged two, suffered horrific third-degree burns and blisters from her ankles to her toes while she was being babysat by relative Jennifer Vaughn.
Now unable to walk and still in pain, the girl’s injuries have been described as “sock burns” because it looks like she is wearing a pair of pink socks.
Kaylee’s devastated mum, Brittany Smith, claims Vaughn, 53, admitted to using scalding water to punish Kaylee because she was having “a bad day”.
WARNING – GRAPHIC IMAGES
Ms Smith, from the US city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, said “There is nothing in this world that a two-year-old can do, no matter how bad they lashed out.”
Vaughn has been charged with aggravated child abuse and is being held in custody following the August 11 incident at Kaylee’s home.
She is the mum of Kyle Vaughn, the fiance of Ms Smith.
If convicted, she could be sentenced to 15 to 80 years in prison.
Ms Smith said Kaylee has undergone two operations, but neither has worked and she will need further surgery.
She told Metro US: “The skin is not really repairing itself in the way the doctors hoped it would. Kaylee is in a lot of pain.
“They are going to take some skin from her thigh next week to try and repair her feet.
“She is at high risk of infection and could end up losing them.”
Ms Smith said she left Kaylee with Vaughn while she went swimming with her fiance and her two other children.
Vaughn had taken care of Kaylee a number of times in the past, she added.
Ms Smith said Vaughn called her to tell her to come home immediately, but wouldn’t tell her what happened.
Kaylee was screaming in agony in the background.
When worried Ms Smith arrived home, she found Kaylee injured and screaming in pain.
Vaughn allegedly claimed that she had put Kaylee in the bath and the toddler suffered the burns when she left the room for a couple of minutes.
Kaylee was rushed to hospital and police were alerted.Detective Rocky Potter told ABC 2 they were “the worst scald burns I’ve ever seen”.
Kaylee has since been released from a specialist burns centre and is continuing her recovery at home.
Ms Smith said her daughter will be unable to walk for some time and is struggling to understand why she can’t join in and play with her siblings.0
