Woman admits neglecting son

A woman charged with seriously hurting her son by pouring boiling water on him admits she did not seek medical treatment for him soon enough.

Meanwhile, a burns specialist says the boy more likely suffered burns to 25 per cent of his body by having hot water poured on him than spilling a pot of water on himself.

The woman is on trial in the Palmerston North District Court, charged with causing the boy grievous bodily harm with intent in May 2019.

The boy and mother, who both have name suppression, told police and medical professionals the burns were caused when the boy spilled a pot of boiling water while making pasta.

He later told a caregiver and police his mother poured boiling water on him.

Detective Nigel Affleck agreed when defence lawyer Steve Winter put to him yesterday the woman pleaded guilty before the trial to neglect or ill-treatment of the boy.

That charge came about after a difference between when the woman said her son was injured and expert opinion.

The mother and son told police he was burnt about five days before being taken to hospital.

But receipts from a supermarket showed she purchased bandages, honey, antiseptic products, Vaseline and menthol relief cream 11 days before he was taken to hospital.

She made orders for more bandages and medical supplies multiple times in those 11 days.

Burns surgeon Richard Wong She, who treated the boy in Middlemore Hospital, said the amount of healing to the boy’s burns suggested it was between 10 and 12 days between the burns and the first medical treatment.

The wound care was very good, but would have been excruciating for the boy without sedation or pain treatment, Wong She said.

The boy was taken into theatre 12 times while in Middlemore to have procedures, sometimes being sedated just to have simple bandage changes.

The burns were more likely caused by hot water being poured than water being spilled from a container, Wong She said.

While the injuries to the boy’s front and legs may have been caused by lots of spilled hot water, the thick burns to his back leaned towards pouring, Wong She said.

It was also more likely the boy was naked when the water was poured on him. He likely had his legs together due to the burn pattern, Wong She said.

The boy gave an interview to police, a video of which was played to the trial.

He said his mother tied him to the bed before pouring water on him, laughing as she did so.

He also made various other allegations about his mother, including her burning his hands, beating him with sticks and circumcising him.

Wong She said he could not recall if the boy’s hand were burnt, but the boy was not circumcised.

Judge Stephanie Edwards, reserved her decision until tomorrow.

He [the boy] said his mother tied him to the bed before pouring water on him, laughing as she did so.