A Kansas City man who scalded a two-year-old child in hot water, causing burns to 20% of the child’s body, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Daniel Rose, 32, received the sentence in Platte County Circuit Court on August 25 after pleading guilty to first degree assault.
“This is a truly heartbreaking case of child abuse,” Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said in a news release. “This young child will carry the physical and emotional scars of this awful crime for the rest of his life.”
On March 26, 2013, Kansas City Police officers went to the 7600 block of NW Milrey Drive after a report of child abuse. When they arrived, Rose said he had been watching his girlfriend’s two-year-old child, and had seen a rash on the child. Rose had not called 911 but had instead called the child’s mother at work.
After being texted a photo of her child, the victim’s mother rushed home and took the child to Children’s Mercy Hospital. Medical staff treated extensive first and second degree burns covering more than 20% of the child’s body, including the child’s genitals and buttocks, which had blistered. In the emergency room physician’s opinion, the injuries were consistent with the child being dunked in hot water.
Investigators say Rose then changed his story, claiming the child had soiled a diaper and fell into the tub while he was drawing a bath. However, Prosecutor Zahnd says the emergency room physician vehemently rejected any suggestion that the injuries could have been accidental.
Judge James Van Amburg sentenced the defendant to 12 years in prison, after Rose’s defense attorney asked that Rose receive probation. Prosecutors recommended a prison term. Because Rose was charged with first degree assault, he must serve 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
Zahnd said, “More than three years after this terrible assault, this young child is still terrified of taking a bath and must instead be showered. This child was undoubtedly screaming in pain when dunked in scalding water, but instead of immediately calling for medical attention, this defendant tried to cover his tracks.”