Daycare Teacher Charged With Attempted Murder After Scalding Toddler Who Soiled Himself

A daycare teacher who was accused of scalding a toddler for soiling himself has been charged with attempted murder.

The horrific incident happened in Johannesburg, South Africa, in January. The woman, who had been working in what turned out to be an illegal daycare center in the city, reportedly used boiling water to clean the 2-year-old boy as a punishment for soiling himself.

The boy suffered third-degree burns on his legs and buttocks and is still battling to walk, reported news outlet Khumbe.

The accused teacher, whose identity has not been revealed, was arrested after the incident. She appeared in court Thursday and has not yet pleaded guilty to the charges.

The victim's mother lamented the incident. "I've been praying for this time to come and it finally did. I almost lost my son because of what they did," she said as per Eye Witness News.

The toddler's mother got a call from the facility on Jan. 27 informing her that her son had been hospitalized due to an incident. The accused initially claimed that the toddler had entered the bathtub containing boiling water after soiling himself. However, this version of the story changed when the accused was questioned about the toddler's feet, which had not been burned.

"When asked about his feet, she says she doesn't know. She's not telling the truth and I want her to tell the truth," the mother told Eye Witness News in an earlier report.

According to the victim's father, the incident traumatized his son. "He is traumatized, he doesn't want to bath [sic], he is so moody. He is afraid to play with other kids," he said.

The charges against the accused were raised to more serious ones after the prosecuting agency reviewed the photos of the victim.

South Africa's Department of Social Development also revealed Thursday that the daycare center was operating illegally. The officials said they will be shutting down the facility in the next few days.

"A fully-fledged [sic] investigation is underway and the aim is to assess whether the Early Childhood Development center is in line with the norms and standards of the Children's Act. The HOD is issuing a notice of closure and it will be closed within the next five days," Feziwe Ndwayana, spokesperson for the Department of Social Development, told Radio 702.