DUSON, La. (KLFY) A 27-year-old Duson mother has been arrested on charges of second degree cruelty to a juvenile following an incident that injured her son on April 1.
According to police, Samantha Doucet allowed her 8-year-old son to light a bonfire unattended.
Police said the child was injured, but his mother “failed to seek medical attention.”
After four days of intense pain, a relative intervened and brought the child to
a medical facility where the injuries were diagnosed as second and third-degree
burns to the face, hands, and legs, police said.
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Second Degree Cruelty to Juveniles is defined as the intentional or criminally negligent mistreatment or neglect by anyone over the age of seventeen to any child under the age of seventeen,
which causes serious bodily injury or neurological impairment to that child.
Police say the crime is a felony and punishable by up to 40 years at hard labor.
Police say they are working with the Division of Child and Family Services in this case,
and charges are being forwarded to the 15th Judicial District Attorney.
Doucet is in the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center with no bond.
