A Louisville couple has been arrested after a 3-year-old child suffered severe burns, according to court documents.
Louisville Metro Police were called to Norton Children’s Hospital on Sunday after the child was admitted with serious burns to his hands and forearms. Medical professionals informed police that the burns were consistent with injuries from being submerged in hot liquid.
During an interview, the child told authorities, “Jacob did this to my hands,” referring to Jacob Snead. The child explained that Snead had placed his hands in a sink filled with hot water.
Snead, 25, and Breanna Lair, 24, the child’s mother, are in a relationship. Lair told police she had left the child alone with Snead for approximately one hour on April 6, despite an ongoing child abuse investigation involving Snead and the child. Child Protective Services had previously ordered Lair not to leave her child alone with Snead.
Lair also admitted to police that she waited up to three hours before seeking medical help for her son and provided false information to medical staff about the nature of the child’s injuries, according to police reports.
Snead has been charged with assault and criminal abuse of a child under 12, while Lair faces charges of criminal abuse of a child under 12. Both pleaded not guilty during their arraignment on Tuesday morning. Snead’s bond was set at $15,000, and Lair’s bond was set at $10,000.
A spokesperson for Jefferson County Public Schools confirmed that Lair works as an instructional assistant at Wheeler Elementary, but her current employment status is unclear.
The case remains under investigation.
