A 4-year-old child was hospitalized last month in critical condition after sustaining severe burns all over her body, leading to the charging of two mothers.

Franzceska Gerome and her sister Guilene Gerome were taken into custody on Saturday, Nov. 11, allegedly for allowing a significant injury to be inflicted upon a kid and recklessly endangering the child, according to Mass Live. The aunt of the victim, Franceska Gerome, is also accused of assault and battery on a youngster who sustains significant injuries.

When Seekonk Police arrived at a house on Oak Hill Avenue on October 9, they discovered the girl had severe burns that might have killed her. She was reportedly injured about seventeen hours before police arrived, according to investigators.

WCVB-TV transmits Thomas Quinn, the district attorney for Bristol County, stated that when the kid was taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital in serious condition by emergency personnel, her body was “in shock”. She remains at the medical facility.

According to WCVB, Franzceska Gerome reportedly informed authorities that the 4-year-old fell into a fire pit but was out of it for a while. Prosecutors from the Bristol County district attorney’s office are said to be at odds because the victim’s injuries do not fit the narrative.

In court on Monday, Nov. 13, one of the prosecutors, Matthew Lopes, allegedly stated, “It’s more evident not just physically but almost exactly where the burns were found, with being burned with a liquid.”

Legal Consequences Unfold: 4-Year-Old Undergoes Multiple Surgeries as Mother and Aunt Face Charges

According to reports, the kid told a representative of the Department of Children and Families that Franzceska Gerome splashed her in water.

Franzceska Gerome has a history in healthcare, but she allegedly informed her sister the girl was fine, according to WJAR-TV.

“Her role as a nurse is an aggravating factor,” Lopes stated in court. Anybody who saw these injuries would have seen right away that this child needed emergency care.”

“She was told again the next morning she didn’t need medical care when she was brought in with the child while her skin was falling off,” according to Lopes’s argument.

Due to the significant delay between the time of the injury and receiving medical attention, the victim was reportedly in danger of suffering a heart attack or cardiac arrest.

The 4-year-old has reportedly had multiple skin transplants and other surgery, according to WJAR.
To the charges, both women entered not guilty pleas. It is believed that Guilene Gerome has a $25,000 bail set for her, while Franzceska Gerome is being held without bond. It is forbidden for Guilene Gerome to communicate with her child.