Couple jailed after girl burned by bath water

Despite suffering horrific injuries the child was not taken to hospital until the following day

A Fife couple have been jailed following an incident in which a young girl was placed in a bath of scalding hot water and severely burned.

Despite the horrific injuries, the child was not taken for medical treatment until the next day.

A sheriff said yesterday the evidence pointed to a deliberate act, as he jailed the pair at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

Christine Downie, 30, who put the little girl into the bath, was jailed for 28 months.

Her partner Steven Scott, also 30, was jailed for 10 months for his part in the incident, which happened at their home in west Fife.

Downie admitted that on September 18 2013shewilfully, ill-treated, neglectedand exposed the child in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to her health and placed her into or induced hertoenterabathofhotwaterandcaused hertoremainthere, wherebyshesuffered severe burns, to hersevere injury.

She and Scott both admitted a second charge that they wilfully ill-treated, neglected and exposed the same child in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to her health and in the knowledge she had suffered severe burns they failed to obtain timeous medical treatment for her.

Gordon Martin, defence agent for Downie, said that a report suggested that his client had “to some extent...been let down by the social work department” and others who could have helped.

He said two children with substantial behavioural difficulties, including the girl who was burned, had been placed in her care. They were not related by blood to her. She then fell pregnant and after giving birth developed post-natal depression.

On the incident itself, Mr Martin said: “She had put the child in the bath without checking how hot the water was. The child complained and instinctively put down one foot and one arm resulting in these burns.”

Elaine Buist, solicitor for Scott, admitted the report on her client described his response to the whole matter as “flat” and that he showed “an absence of empathy” with the victim.

The sheriff said that when the child finally went to hospital she had to be treated under general anaesthetic.

The sheriff pointed to evidence that Scott was said to have “lost it” with the child and told her, “I’m done with you” and “I’m done with your greetin’.”

Sheriff McSherry told them they were “unsuitable” people to be caring for any child.

Christine Downie is led away from court.