Police: Infant scalded on hand, step-mom arrested

PHOENIX -- (KNXV) -- A 2-year-old boy is suffering from "deep partial tissue burns" on his hand after being scalded with hot water.

Phoenix police have accused 26-year-old Sarah Krystal Alaniz of placing the child's hand under scalding water causing "severe blistering."

Police say they were alerted by staff at Maricopa Medical Center on August 15. Police say Alaniz told them the water was warm and she was trying to clean pus and blood from the child's hand.

Doctors reportedly told police the injuries happened from his hand either being immersed in hot water or being placed under hot running water.

The victim was transferred to the burn unit, and Alaniz was interviewed by police again on August 21. In that interview, Alaniz allegedly told police that the child might have been burned by an electrical outlet or by turning on the hot water himself.

She would later say, according to police, that the child was whimpering, saying the water hurt and pulled his hand away. She said she didn't realize how hot the water was, saying it was an accident.