Michigan Couple Allegedly Burned 2-Year-Old Boy With Scalding Water Over Potty Training Accident

A 2-year-old boy in Michigan is fighting for his life after getting third-degree burns at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend, authorities said.

Keyanna Pope, 27, and her boyfriend Kenyatta Gardner, 24, were arrested on five charges of child abuse in connection to the abuse that is believed to have taken place on Feb. 3.

The alleged abuse happened in an apartment complex near downtown Flint. The couple called the police only when the toddler had a hard time breathing 24 hours after the incident, reported ABC12.

"We believe that the child was having some potty-training issues," David Leyton, prosecutor, said. "Perhaps the mother and boyfriend got upset about it, and put him, as punishment, in a tub of scalding hot water which resulted in these dramatic burns."

The boy suffered burns on both sides of his body, from his stomach down to his knees. The toddler now faces issues including renal failure and is being treated at the hospital. The victim's 4-year-old sister was at home and is believed to have witnessed the torture, said a report from NBC 25.

The prosecutor said the child's burns are so severe that pictures of his injuries are really distressing to look at. "I feel really bad for the little fellow. He’s really in tough shape," Leyton said.

The couple now faces multiple charges, including first-degree child abuse, torture and child abuse in the presence of another child. If convicted, they could face up to life in prison.

"You know, I'm always baffled when I have these child abuse cases. Why would anybody want to deliberately hurt a child? I just don't understand it. I don't understand it in this case and I don't understand it in any of the cases," Leyton said.

The prosecutor's office is now working with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Child Protective Services to terminate Pope's parental rights. The prosecutor's office said that the victim's biological father might also be taken into custody soon.

A report from WILX News 10 indicated that 63,898 child abuse cases were reported in Michigan in 2020. Although it seems to be a major decline from the 94,090 cases listed in 2019, experts believe that it only means that child abuse cases have been underreported during the pandemic.