Memphis man charged with abuse after severely burning child that wet his pants

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — A Memphis man is charged with a horrible case of child abuse.

Police say Jalil Mitchell beat and burned a four-year-old boy after that child wet himself.

This happened Wednesday in the 3200 block of Maple Hill.

Mitchell was arrested Thursday.

The boy’s mother was at work when it happened; Mitchell is her live-in boyfriend.

Police say Mitchell first beat the boy with a belt, then ran bath water for the child.

As he was making food, police say Mitchell told the boy to get into the tub.

A police report said when the child got out of the water, “his feet and both legs was discolored and blistering up. Jalil put cocoa butter on the burns and wrapped up both legs with gauze.”

The water caused third-degree burns on the boy’s legs, which went untreated for 17 hours before he was taken to the hospital.

The burns required surgery, and he is recovering at a burn treatment center in Ohio.

Mitchell is charged with aggravated child abuse and child abuse and neglect.

*Photo via WVLT