CLEARFIELD – A Philipsburg man accused of burning a 4-year-old child in hot bath waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
Harold Vaughn Jr. is facing charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of children, and recklessly endangering another person.
According to court records, police were called on May 23 about a child that had suffered from neglect. Nate Curry of the Clearfield Borough Police Department spoke with the alleged victim’s mother. She told Curry that her son was in Vaughn’s care when he suffered burns to his feet, back, buttocks and genitals. She stated that when the child returned home he was in extreme pain and crying. When she noticed the burns, she called Clearfield Emergency Medical Services.
The child was taken to the West Penn Burn Center in Pittsburgh for treatment.
The case was turned of the Decatur Township Police Department as the alleged offense occurred in its jurisdiction.
Chief Timothy O’Leary spoke with the child’s mother, who related that her child was in Vaughn’s care between May20 and May 23. She said that on May 23 Vaughn did not want to bring the child back because Vaughn said she would be mad because the child had burns on his feet.
She said that Vaughn did bring the child back, and she noticed skin peeling from his feet. She rushed the child inside and noticed additional burns on his body. She said she questioned Vaughn, who told her that the child turned on the bath water and climbed in the tub.
On May 24 O’Leary interviewed Vaughn. He told O’Leary that he wanted to give the child a bath before returning him home. He said while he was on the phone and searching for clean clothes for the child, the kid turned the water on and climbed into the tub. He said the child then yelled, “It’s hot!” He then told O’Leary that he told the child to get out, and that the child was not crying or complaining. He said he noticed burns, but that they were minimal.
On May 26 O’Leary talked to a doctor at the West Penn Burn Center. The doctor told O’Leary that the child suffered second and third degree burns, “typical submerged burns.” O’Leary also learned the the boy needed skin grafts to the tops of his feet and his ankles.
O’Leary spoke with Vaughn again on July 21. He stated the child ran the water while he was on the phone and searching for clean clothes. This time he told O’Leary he walked into the bathroom and put the child in the tub. He said the child screamed, he took him out of the tub and noticed loose skin around the boy’s ankles. He said he did not seek medical attention for the child because he was afraid he would get in trouble.