22-year-old Kenneth James Jerone McCloud of Muskegon Heights has been accused of scalding his young son so badly that prosecutors are claiming that the child may be disfigured for life. As a result of the allegations, Child Protective Services has removed both the young boy and another child from the home and placed them in foster care.
The incident that led to the charges happened on August 22nd 2014, at a home on Baker Street in Muskegon Heights. McCloud was caring for his girlfriend’s 10-month-old baby while she was at work. McCloud gave the baby a bath, but the water was allegedly so hot that the child’s skin on his buttocks and other body parts was burned.
Following the bath, McCloud took the child to his pediatrician, where he was advised to take the baby to an Emergency Room. Once the little boy had been examined by medical staff, the burns were determined to be immersion burns, which happen when a body is lowered into incredibly hot liquid. In this case, hot bath water. In addition, there were allegedly also cuts and bruises on the child’s face and neck.
The little boy ended up being transferred to Helen Devos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. It was there that doctors decided to contact CPS and report what they believed may have been abuse. Once CPS was involved, the police were contacted, and both the baby and one other child living in the family’s home were removed and placed into foster care.
The burns were determined to be second degree burns, which usually includes blisters, deep redness, and significant pain. Additionally, the child had suffered “lip trauma,” although no information was provided on what that entailed. McCloud was charged with Second Degree Child Abuse.
In a statement made to the media, Muskegon County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Timothy Maat said the following about his case. “We know Mr. McCloud is responsible for causing the injuries to the child. The allegations are two-fold: One is that he caused serious, physical harm to the child, and also that he failed to provide the child with proper medical treatment.”
In addition to the criminal charges against him, McCloud and his girlfriend are also facing allegations of abuse and neglect in the Muskegon County Family Court. McCloud recently pleaded no contest to those charges. His girlfriend, however, is contesting the allegations against her, which claim that she failed to protect her child from an abuser. Thus far, however, the parental rights have not been terminated.
This isn’t uncommon, unfortunately. In a situation where there are criminal charges of abuse or neglect, CPS will pursue a case of their own. They petition the court to have the children removed, and once the children are placed with another family, they often pursue having the parents rights to their child terminated. This is a tragic result, as it formally severs all ties between a parent and a child.
This is one of the many reasons that the attorneys at The Kronzek Firm are the best choice for people who are battling both criminal charges and allegations of abuse in Family Court. Our firm’s defense attorneys specialize in both criminal defense and family law, which means that we are equipped to defend you on both fronts.