Update: Rhea Co. babysitter faces two new charges in burned toddler case
RHEA COUNTY, Tenn. — UPDATE (October 23rd):
Rhea County Detective Rocky Potter confirms to NewsChannel 9 that a Grand Jury has indicted Jennifer Vaughn on two additional aggravated child abuse charges. She now faces a total of four such charges.
Potter says Vaughn's attorneys have requested a reduction in bond, but the judge would not hear the case, and bond for Vaughn is still set at $150,000.
Depend on us to keep you posted on this story as we learn new developments.
UPDATE (Sunday, September 8):
Kaylee's mother, Brittany Smith, tells NewsChannel 9's Abby Kirk that 2-year-old Kaylee has had five surgeries since her injuries. Smith says, "we're taking it one day at a time."
The family is still asking for donations to help with Kaylee's medical expenses. If you would like to donate, click here.
Click on our gallery above to see them. BE WARNED: THESE PHOTOS ARE EXTREMELY GRAPHIC, and are difficult to see.
PREVIOUSLY (Tuesday, August 20):
RHEA COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVC) - NewsChannel 9's Abby Kirk is following up on this story on Tuesday and has secured permission from the mother of the child's mother to share photos she took of Kaylee's injuries.
Click on our gallery above to see them. BE WARNED: THESE PHOTOS ARE EXTREMELY GRAPHIC, and are difficult to see.
Kaylee's mother tells Abby Kirk that she is now home from a burn center in Georgia and that more surgery awaits this 2-year-old child.
Brittany Smith, Kaylee's mother, says the damage to the child's skin was so bad, the skin grafts may not take.
“It just looked like her skin was just melting off," Smith said.
Smith says a family member, Jennifer Vaughn, was watching Kaylee on August 11. Smith says Vaughn called her later that day, in panic, saying Kaylee had gotten burned and asked her to come over immediately. She says, Vaughn told her she had used scalding water to punish Kaylee because she was having "a bad day."
Kaylee was rushed to the hospital and taken to a burn center in Georgia.
Rocky Potter, a detective with the Rhea County Sheriff's Department, has been working the case.
"When I saw them
According to Detective Potter, the hospital called them "sock burns" because the burns on her feet looked like a pair of socks. The hospital called the burns accidental.
"This ranks right up there with one of the worst ones I have seen," Detective Potter said. He says investigators determined Vaughn did use scalding water to punish the little girl.
"She admitted to what she done," Smith said.
"It's not right," Smith said. She doesn't know when her daughter will be able to walk again. "There is nothing in this world that a 2-year-old can do, no matter how bad they lashed out at you."
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help cover medical costs for Kaylee. You can learn more at the link here.
Vaughn was arrested Monday and charged with aggravated child abuse under Haley's Law, which makes it a Class A felony. Vaughn could face 15 to 80 years in prison.
The case against Vaughn will be presented to a grand jury in October.
PREVIOUSLY (Monday, August 19):
Rhea County Sheriff's Office (RCSO) officials say a woman has been arrested after being accused of badly burning a 2-year-old girl as a punishment.
According to RCSO Detective Rocky Potter, dispatch received a call on August 11 about a young girl with severe scald burns.
According to Detective Potter, the hospital called them "sock burns" because the burns on her feet looked like a pair of socks. The hospital called the burns "non-accidental."
The young girl was taken to a burn unit. Detective Potter tells us the damage to the child's skin was so bad that skin grafts may not take.
Investigators spoke with Jennifer Vaughn, the woman who had been providing care for the little girl that day. According to Potter, they determined she'd used scalding water to punish the little girl.
Vaughn was arrested Monday and charged with aggravated child abuse under Haley's Law, which makes it a Class A felony.
Online court records show she has a $150,000 bond.
This is a developing story - depend on us to update you as we learn more.
