Woman Accused Of Burning Stepson Headed To Court
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Charges against a woman accused of burning her stepson with hot water were held for court.
Jessye Cole had nothing to say to reporters as she left court. She is accused of severely burning her 4-year-old stepson by putting him in a tub of scalding hot water.
Cole claims the boy stepped in dog waste and she was just trying to clean him off.
But the child's biological mother isn't buying it.
"It was purposely done, she purposely did this to my child," said Shante Cole, the boy's mother.
The boy suffered second degree burns over 50 percent of his body, including his chest, arms and lower extremities. According to the criminal complaint, his skin was red and flaking off.
But police say Cole didn't seek immediate care.
Instead, she and the boy's father allegedly waited 24 hours before taking him to Children's Hospital.
"She loves him," said Blaine Jones, Jessye Cole's attorney. "It's her stepson; there's never been any type of history of violence. Her story has been consistent throughout."
The boy's father, Tom Cole, wasn't there at the time, but he was also charged for not seeking help quickly enough.
"He got there later on and he took all the procedures," said Bernie Tully, Tom Cole's attorney. "He was involved in getting medicines for the child and agreed totally to taking child to the hospital."
On Thursday, a judge lifted a restriction allowing Tom Cole to see his son. The boy, meanwhile, continues to recover.
"It's a long road, just [have to] take it day by day," said Shante Cole. "He's doing better than he was."
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