A Chester County man is accused of burning his one-month old daughter.
Investigators say the baby girl was suffering from colic and had been crying continuously. On Friday, the girl’s parents, Jorge Colon, 20, and Maria Ortiz, of Oxford, took the child to the hospital where she was checked and released.
On Saturday, police say the baby was crying again while Ortiz was taking a shower. Colon was giving the baby a bath in the sink, according to investigators.
Jorge Colon, Credit: Chester County District Attorney's Office
As the baby continued to cry, Colon allegedly lost his temper and turned the water to scalding hot, pouring it on child.
"The baby screamed loud enough for the mom to hear her in the shower," said Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan. "He then took the baby out, wrapped the baby in a towel and dried her off. When he pulled the towel off, her skin started to come off from the burns."
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Police say Colon then wrapped the baby in a towel. When he removed it, the girl’s skin was peeling off from the burns, according to investigators.
Colon and Ortiz took the girl to Jennersville Regional Hospital. She was then transferred to the Burn Unit at Crozer-Chester Medical Center.
The baby suffered first and second degree burns over 40% of her body. She is currently in critical condition.
“I have been a police officer for 38 years,” said Oxford Police Chief John Slauch. “This is one of the worst cases of child abuse I have ever seen in Chester County.”
“As a prosecutor I am outraged anybody would harm a baby,” said District Hogan. “As a father I am deeply saddened and disturbed that a father could do this to his own daughter.”
Colon was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child and other related offenses. He was remanded to Chester County Prison after failing to post $125,000 bail.
Colon's boss of nearly a year tells NBC10 he's shocked and that the charges against his garage employee are completely out of character.
"Great personality, very respectful," said Mitchell Glenn. "If you met him, two minutes after talking to him you'd think he was a great guy."
Colon has a preliminary hearing scheduled for next week. The girl's mother will not be charged.
