Couple charged after three year-old scalded by hot soup

A husband and wife were arrested on Tuesday after officials said they failed to take proper care of their three-year-old child after she was scalded by soup from the microwave.

Anali Vasquez, 28, of 309 Madison St., Russellville; and Jose Gregerio Vasquez-Roca, 29, of 701 Marlin St., Russellville, were both charged with one count of child abuse, Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said.

According to Hargett, the Franklin County Department of Human Resources was called to a local doctor’s office on Oct. 3 to evaluate a three-year-old female child who had sustained second-degree burns.

Police investigator Lt. Scotty Lowery said DHR workers discovered the burns had allegedly occurred four days earlier on Sept. 29 when the child was accidently scalded by hot soup that had come out of the microwave.

“The burns were so severe that the child had to be taken at that time to the burn unit at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham where she was treated for three days,” Lowery said.

Hargett said investigators consulted with the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office before they decided to arrest the girl’s parents for child abuse.

“This child received severe burns but did not receive medical attention until four days later,” Hargett said.

“There’s no excuse for letting that child suffer for that long.”

The child was taken into DHR custody after being released from the hospital.

Both Vasquez and Vasquez-Roca are in custody at the Russellville City Jail without bond at this time.