Police: Girl, 6, Burned After Stepmom Places Her Hands On Hot Stove
BUTLER, Pa. (KDKA) -- A Butler County woman was arrested and is facing several charges after police say she placed her stepdaughter's hands on a hot stove.
Tonya Schmidt, 34, of Butler, is locked up in the Butler County Prison. She is facing charges that include felony aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children.
Butler City Police arrested Schmidt who they say physically abused her 6-year-old stepdaughter at the home where Schmidt lived with her four stepchildren and the children's biological father.
At one point, court documents say Schmidt placed the 6-year-old's hands on a hot stove and burned them.
The child told investigators, "My stepmother said she would kill me if I told anyone what happened."
Sherri McKibbin, whose 9-year-old granddaughter also lived with Schmidt, told KDKA-TV's Ralph Iannotti, "Not at all surprised. We're talking about this little girl; she was a victim long before they caught it. It just had to get to a point where she was this hurt."
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McKibbin has been involved in an on-going battle with Butler County Children Youth Services to get her granddaughter out of the home.
"I want to see all the kids removed," McKibbin said. "It's very ugly. It's not okay and it's not right, and these kids need to be protected.:
The director of Butler County CYS said late Monday night, that under state law, he could not comment on the case or the investigation.
The burned child has now been placed in a foster home.