Babysitter Sentenced To 12 Years For Scalding Child

ROCKVILLE, Md. (WUSA) - A babysitter was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Thursday for first-degree child abuse, after 3-years-old Camden Salguero, a boy in her care was scalded so badly his right hand was left permanently deformed.

Karen Lopes Esterque Jones, 27, received the sentence in court before Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Durke G. Thompson. Jones pleaded guilty to the first-degree child abuse charges in December, 2008.

According to court documents, in February 2008, Jones was a babysitter operating an unlicensed daycare center out of her home on Calumet Drive in Silver Spring.

On February 12, prosecutors say, Jones called Ashley Pettis, the mother of one of the children she watched, and told the boy's mother that he had suffered a hand injury. Jones claimed that she had been washing finger paint from the victim's hands when she noticed that his skin had turned red and was falling off.

The boy's mother immediately drove to Jones' house, picked up her son, and rushed him to Holy Cross Hospital. The staff there, after assessing the severity of the injury, transferred the boy to Children's National Medical Center by ambulance.

Subsequent investigation proved that Jones had plunged Camden's right hand into scalding liquid, causing third-degree burns and permanent damage.

Prosecutors say the boy has undergone four surgeries and faces another operation; he will have to get skin grafts for the rest of his life. The use of his injured hand will always be limited.

Defense Attorney Rene Sandler says Jones ran the child's hand under scalding hot water.

"The water was at a very high, high temperature," Sandler said.

But the prosecution's experts insist the child's hand had to have been emerged in hot liquid intentionally. Something that's been hard for Camden's father to deal with.

"We play Rock Band, and he tries to play the drums, but he can't really hold a drum stick. Or he tries to play the guitar, but he can't use his right hand," Josue Salguero said.

Camden's mother, Ashley Pettis, says she knew Jones was operating an unlicensed day care.

"I chose to take that risk," Pettis said. "Just because I was single and young, working mother, and I felt like she was the best possible person to take care of Camden while I was at work."

Now she makes sure that when her son is being watched, there's more than one adult present.

"So that when somebody is having a rough time or needs a break or is having some sort of break down, somebody else can step in and resolve it," Pettis said.

Before being sentenced, Karen Jones read a statement in court. She said, in part: "What happened to Camden is my fault and I take full responsibility... Camden is the one who suffered for my grave mistake."

Jones has two children of her own, ages 3 and 9 months. They will stay with their father while she serves her sentence. Jones will be eligible for parole in six years.