Ky. foster mom carried baby while pouring McDonald’s hot liquid on his head, police say

A 10-month-old baby had extensive burns to his face after his foster mother held him in a baby carrier against her chest and poured hot chocolate on his head while at a Winchester McDonald’s, police said.

Surveillance video from the restaurant revealed what happened when the baby was injured. Police initially were told that the woman fell inside the restaurant and hot chocolate was spilled on the baby, according to court records. The temperature of the hot liquid was more than 150 degrees.

The mom, Ashley Neal, pretended to fall, police said. She was charged with first-degree criminal abuse of a child.

The baby was taken to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.

Neal told police she couldn’t remember what happened, according to her arrest citation. The foster father didn’t see the incident.

On the video, Neal was seen walking with the baby in the carrier against her chest, according to court records. The video shows her pour, with her right hand on the baby’s head, take several more steps, attempt to fall and brace herself with the same right hand, police said.

Winchester Police Capt. James Hall said investigators don’t know why Neal may have wanted to harm the child, according to the Associated Press.

This story was originally published December 3, 2019 at 2:44 PM.