Child had burns, bruises after mother punished him with ‘extremely hot’ baths
TULSA, Okla. — A woman was arrested Thursday on child abuse counts after police said she punished her child with extremely hot baths.
On Thursday afternoon, Tulsa police were dispatched to an area hospital in reference to an emaciated four-year-old child with burns and bruises on his body.
Police said the child had second- and third-degree burns on his face. The child’s mother, Mikell Wortham, 24, had taken the boy to urgent care, according to a police report.
Police said Wortham admitted to using hot water as a form of discipline, and said she would treat the burns with Vaseline and lotion.
When asked why the child was malnourished, Wortham told police that she does not have enough money to feed him.
Wortham is being held on a $200,000 bail.