By Jill Konopka, Kaitlyn Naples
Hartford, CT (WFSB) — An infant is still hospitalized after being badly burned by scalding hot water in the middle of being bathed this weekend.
The 10-month-old child’s mother spoke exclusively to Eyewitness News on Tuesday and said she received the terrifying phone call stating what had happened while she was at work.
“It was all a blur. Once I heard my boyfriend on the phone, he was screaming. Couldn’t contain himself it was really hard,” said mother Alyssa Hawkins.
Her daughter, Andreaya Lyons, is still at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center with burns to the lower half of her body, but thankfully she is expected to recover.
Hawkins boyfriend, Tylon Graham said it was an accident that will never happen again, because he said he would never do anything to endanger the infant that he adores and is helping to raise.
“It’s hard. I feel blessed and grateful she’s alive. That she didn’t drown. Didn’t hit her head and she still is here with me. CCMC is providing the best care,” Hawkins said, adding that her daughters whole bottom half was burned.
Police are still investigating what exactly happened and Hawkins said they have had questions.
“Discrepancy, police heavily involved and thinking he maybe slapped her when she wouldn’t stop crying,” Hawkins said, however she stated that it is not true.
She said she believes her boyfriend, who told police he turned off the water and walked away for a moment and then found the baby crying in the sink with the faucet running.
“When he stepped away to get a towel, faucet turned on,” Hawkins said. “I’m not excusing it. We do have to be careful, I’m not upset with him.”
She said she feels that she is partially to blame because she told him to give her daughter a bath.
She said Graham is like a father to her daughter, and he made a mistake and they are trying to move forward and focus on her daughter’s recovery.
“She’s healing well, and starting to get her spirit back. Been sad, nurses love her and are really good with her,” Hawkins said.
The Department of Children and Families is involved and the baby will remain hospitalized for another few weeks.