FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – After detectives determined that a 5-month-old boy had severe burns for six days prior to the parents seeking medical care for the child, the Fernandina Beach Police Department arrested the child's 19-year-old father and 26-year-old mother.
When the boy was admitted Friday to Baptist Medical Center with second-degree burns on the buttocks, left shoulder and head, police and child welfare officials were called.
Police and the Department of Children and Families investigated through the weekend and on Monday arrested Denzel Malik Albertie and Shawna Noel Corbett on charges of aggravated child abuse.
The child remains hospitalized at the Wolfson Children's Hospital Burn Unit in Jacksonville after receiving surgical procedures to treat the burns.
Police said a social worker happened to stop at the home and see the boy, then forced the parents to take him to the hospital.
"Over the last several days, they've been putting diapers on the child, peeling diapers off where the skin and injuries have stuck to the diaper," Deputy Chief Mark Foxworth said.
The parents told police what happened was an accident while the boy was being given a bath.
News4Jax has learned three other children were in the home. They have been taken from the home and are now with relatives. DCF said it placed the kids in those homes after background checks.
"We take these allegations very seriously," DCF spokesman John Harrell said. "It's a terrible incident. We hope this child can fully recover. We began our investigation within one hour after first report of abuse."
The boy will survive. He's already had one surgery and will have another. He's also on painkillers now to help with the pain of the burns and infection.