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Police investigating after child burned by hot bath water

PENN TOWNSHIP, Pa. — UPDATE:

The caretaker is facing charges in this case.

Police are investigating after a 5-year-old child was scalded by hot bath water March 1 in a Penn Township home.

Authorities responded to a the Sandra Drive home in Westmoreland County after a caretaker called 911, saying that the child had suffered burns from the belly button down from scalding water in a bathtub.

"I would categorize this as an active investigation. We have a lot of questions we have to get the answers to, and those answers will determine if this is criminal, negligence or accidental," Penn Township police Chief John Otto said.

The child was apparently being watched by a caretaker, who is cooperating with the police investigation. The child's parents were at work at the time. Police said the boy was in distress within a minute after he was in the bathtub.

"The caretaker then removed the child from the bath water and could see visible burns on the child. The caretaker then called 911," Otto said.

Police said the boy has a medical condition that could have made it difficult for him to tell anyone that he was in pain.

"There are some conditions that exist that lead us to wonder if the child is capable of determining temperature as accurately as you and I, or verbalize the extreme temperature of that water," Otto said.

The police chief said the child was taken to Forbes Hospital and then airlifted to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he is recovering.

Stay with Channel 11 News and WPXI.com for continuing coverage.