Biloxi police: Scalding hot bath water sends child to hospital, couple to jail

The mother of a 4-year-old and her boyfriend were arrested Thursday after police determined they lied about an incident in July that sent the child to the Children's Hospital in Mobile with multiple third-degree burns.

Inv. Grandver Everett said Bich Ngoc Tran, 25 and James Edward Black, 29, were arrested and accused of committing crimes that led to the 4-year-old's injuries.

Everett said police initially responded to a home in the 800 block of Bayview Avenue July 1 for a medical emergency.

"When officers got to the home, Tran and the child had already been taken to Merit Health Hospital for treatment," he said. "Her original story was that she found the child unresponsive in the bathtub."

Tran told the medical staff her child nearly drowned after she left the bathroom for a minute, Everett said.

The child was flown to the Children's Hospital in Mobile due to Tran's statement and the condition of the child.

As an evaluation of the child was being done, the Children's Hospital medical team found multiple burn blisters on the lower half of the child's body.

"Once the doctors found the blisters, Tran admitted she lied about the story," Everett said. "She then said she wasn't sure what happened to the child."

The child was then taken to Birmingham to undergo multiple surgeries for the burns.

Everett said police began investigating the incident and found the child was forced into scalding hot water for an extended period of time by Tran's boyfriend, James Black.

"Tran never actually saw the child in the bathtub," Everett said. "Black put the child in the hot water and Tran later found the child crying on the bathroom floor."

Everett said it is unknown exactly how long the child was in the hot water.

Black has denied any intent to hurt the child, Everett said. It is unknown exactly why Black placed the 4-year-old in the hot water.

Tran was arrested in the 3000 block of Promenade Parkway in D'Iberville and taken to the Harrison County jail on a charge of child neglect. She is being held on a $100,000 bond set by Judge Bruce Strong.

Black was arrested in the 4000 block of Stauter Street in Moss Point and taken to the Harrison County jail on a charge of child abuse. He is being held on a $250,000 bond set by Judge Bruce Strong.

The child is expected to make a full recovery.

This story was originally published November 6, 2015 at 10:09 AM with the headline "Biloxi police: Scalding hot bath water sends child to hospital, couple to jail ."