PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
Child abuse detectives arrested and charged a Portland man after they say he caused second-degree burns to a 1-year-old child.
Olan Ladd made his first court appearance Friday afternoon in Multnomah County Circuit Court on three counts of assault and one count of criminal mistreatment.
According to court documents obtained by FOX 12, investigators say on Wednesday Ladd was home alone with his girlfriend's daughter when he "picked her up, turned on the water faucet and held her feet under the running hot water."
The documents say Ladd told police the girl, who is just three months from her second birthday, got up at 3 a.m. At first, Ladd told detectives that "he accidentally spilled boiling water on the child's feet," court documents say.
FOX 12 is not identifying the child.
Ladd's girlfriend came home and found the child's feet badly burned, investigators say. The child was taken to Legacy Emanuel Hospital where doctors determined she suffered second degree burns, police say.
When police later questioned Ladd, he admitted that he "was frustrated with life" and vented by picking up the child and running her feet under the hot water in a bathroom sink. Court documents say Ladd told police he could hear the child crying and that she was fighting to get away, clearly in pain.
Ladd admitted to police that "he messed up and was responsible for the injuries," court documents say. Making this case even harder for police, they say Ladd told them the child was not being fussy or crying, but just happened to be up walking around, truly an innocent victim, they say.
Neighbors, who asked not to be identified, say they are surprised by the allegations because they say Ladd has always seemed genuinely nice.
"He's not really a violent person. I am shocked to be really, really honest," says one neighbor.
A hospital spokesperson says the child is in good condition.
Ladd was arrested by detectives on Thursday. He was charged and pleaded not guilty to two counts of first degree assault, one count of second degree assault and one count of first degree criminal mistreatment on Friday afternoon. He will be in court later this month.
Copyright 2011 KPTV/FOX 12. All rights reserved.
