PALM BAY, Fla. — A Palm Bay woman has been charged with child abuse, accused of causing serious injuries to a young girl by intentionally putting her in hot water as a punishment.
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According to the Palm Bay Police Department, 23-year-old Angelina Mayton brought the victim to Palm Bay Hospital on the morning of December 27 with third degree burns to her lower body and back.
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Mayton initially told the hospital she’d left the child alone in a bathtub and claimed she must have turned the hot water on herself.
Days later, a doctor told investigators the child’s burns were consistent with an intentional act.
An Orlando Child Protection Team member told Palm Bay Police the bath water in question must have been more than 150 degrees in temperature.
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Other children in the home also told investigators the victim was being punished for relieving herself in the living room.
According to police, doctors told them the child’s injuries were significant enough to cause life-long disfigurement and would likely require numerous painful medical procedures in the future.
Based on the evidence, police were able to secure an arrest warrant for Mayton, charging her with aggravated child abuse causing serious bodily injury.
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She was booked into the Brevard County jail Thursday and released Friday on $35,000 bond.
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