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Toddler is rushed to hospital with ‘serious burns, bruises and traces of METH in his urine’ as two-year-old’s mum and boyfriend – who is also the boy’s UNCLE – are charged with criminal neglect
- Emma Jade Short and Rodney David Clough are charged with criminal neglect
- On August 8 Short’s unconscious two-year-old was taken to doctor’s surgery
- A court heard the child had serious burns, bruises and traces of drugs in system
- Clough is both the uncle of the toddler and also the Short’s boyfriend
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The mother and uncle of a two-year-old boy have been charged after he was allegedly submerged in boiling water before traces of meth were found in his system, a court has heard.
Emma Jade Short, 34, appeared at Elizabeth Magistrates Court, Adelaide, on Monday accused of criminal negligence after the toddler was rushed to hospital earlier this month.
Rodney David Clough, 40, faced the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court for the same charge on Monday. He did not apply for bail.
Clough is both the toddler’s uncle and Short’s boyfriend, the court was told.
Emma Jade Short (above) has been charged with criminal negligence
The court heard Short took her unconscious son to Blair Athol Medical Clinic on August 8 with the toddler suffering from serious burns and bruises after staying at nearby hotel the Comfort Inn Manhattan.
Forensic paediatricians told the court the child’s injuries indicated he had been submerged in boiling water.
Short told police at the clinic her son was burnt when he accidentally turned on a sink tap, the Adelaide Advertiser reported.
The court heard she immediately turned on the cold water once she noticed steam pouring our of the sink.
Forensic paediatricians told the court the bruises found on the child neck were likely caused by someone grabbing the toddler’s shirt.
Prosecutors said traces of methamphetamine were found in the two-year-old’s system and that they are conducting an investigation to find if the boy suffered any brain injuries ‘due to a lack of oxygen as a result of being submerged in water’, the court heard.
Short took her two-year-old son (above) to Blair Athol Medical Clinic with serious burns and bruises on August 8, the court heard
Short told police in a formal interview that her son was injured while under the care of Clough.
She said she had left the pair and returned to find a ‘panicked’ Clough and her son unconscious son on the bed, the court heard.
While arguing for home-detention bail Short’s lawyer, Vageli Dimou, argued her second account of the story was ‘truthful’.
‘She says she was confused at the situation and upset, and she was, in essence, protecting herself due to the nature of whatever this relationship is with the co-accused,’ he said.
Short alleged in court her son was in the care of Clough (above), who is both Short’s partner and her son’s uncle, when he suffered serious burns on August 8
‘When she is interviewed on the second occasion with police, she says she gives her truthful account of what occurred and that she was not aware of what happened to the child.
‘If she had been aware she would not have left him in the care of (Mr Clough).
‘She wants to know what has happened to her child – what appears to have happened repeatedly to her child – causing these injuries.’
Short was denied bail as she is considered a ‘flight risk’ after allegedly discussing fleeing the state on a bus to NSW with Clough, who allegedly had already booked a ticket, the court heard.
Short will learn the outcome of her bail submission later this month while Clough is to remain in custody until his next hearing, set for December.