A man from Idaho is facing serious charges after his infant son was hospitalized with significant burns. The 34-year-old, Christopher Stum, was taken into custody following an incident where he allegedly caused second-degree burns to his 1-month-old son, affecting 24 percent of the baby’s body.
Stum is charged with injury to a child and the destruction, alteration, or concealment of evidence related to the January 22 event, as reported by EastIdahoNews.com.
According to court documents, Stum brought his severely injured son to the hospital after the incident, which occurred at his residence. He informed authorities that he was the primary caregiver for the infant.
Stum explained that while bathing the child, he decided to “air dry” him. When he noticed the baby was cold, he filled a pitcher with hot water from the bathtub faucet. Upon pouring the water over the infant, the child screamed in pain, and Stum noticed the skin turning red and peeling.
Reacting to the situation, Stum immediately rushed the baby to the hospital for treatment.
During the investigation, Stum initially claimed that he tested the water with his finger and found it hot but not scalding. However, he later conceded that the water was indeed scalding, though he mistakenly believed it was safe.
Doctors said the water temperature had to be between 130 and 150 degrees to cause the kind of injuries the child suffered.
Officers went to Stum’s home and found the water in the home’s water heater to be 121 degrees, but Stum later told them it had been set at 150 degrees but he lowered it to 121 degrees before taking his son to the hospital.
He said he adjusted it so he wouldn’t appear negligent.
Stum is due in court for a preliminary hearing on February 11.
