18-Month-Old Suffers Burns To Face; Lakeland Man Arrested

BARTOW, FL - A Lakeland man has been charged with aggravated child abuse after an 18-month-old in his care was discovered with burns, Winter Haven police said.

On Oct. 13, police received a call from a local hospital's emergency room staff regarding a possible child abuse case. The child had burns from a liquid to the upper face, forehead and left ear.

Mitchell David Rich, 25, of 6021 Citrus Highlands Drive, was the sole person taking care of the child at a Winter Haven apartment while the mother was at work. When the child's grandmother arrived to pick the child up, she saw that the child had redness, blistering and peeling on the face and head.

Rich claimed that the injuries were a reaction to children's liquid bathing soap or skin cream after Rich gave the child a bath.

The child was transported to Tampa General Hospital for further treatment. A doctor's report concluded that the injuries to the child are consistent with a liquid burn, such as from scalding liquid. Investigators were unable to conclude how the child's head came in contact with any liquid, however police said Rich’s statements regarding the injuries “are not consistent with that of the medical evaluation.”

Rich is currently on felony probation for robbery charges in Virginia and is being supervised by the Florida Department of Corrections.

Image via Shutterstock; 2nd image via Polk County Sheriff