A one-year-old boy is recovering from second-degree burns covering nearly half of his body after his nanny allegedly scalded him with boiling water in Barangay Malanday.

Reports said that the infant suffered severe injuries to his back, neck and legs. Police identified the nanny as a 57-year-old woman, referred to as “Ruby,” who had been employed by the family for only two days at the time of the incident.

According to the nanny’s statement to the parents, she intended to bathe the child and had poured boiling water into a dipper. She told the family she “got confused” and poured the water directly onto the boy’s back without mixing it with cold water.

The child’s parents — identified only as Daphine and Mark — rushed him to the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center (ARMMC) after receiving assistance from village officials.

Two days after admission, specialists in the hospital’s burn unit informed the parents that the infant required debridement — a surgical process to remove dead or contaminated tissue.

Doctors recommended the procedure be performed under anesthesia due to the severity of the pain.

However, the family expressed concern over conflicting medical instructions. After the child underwent a required 24-hour fast for the surgery, a resident physician reportedly told the parents to resume breastfeeding, citing dehydration.

The hospital management later informed the family that the facility lacks the capacity to handle the case. Officials stated the hospital is equipped to treat patients with burns covering up to 30 percent of the body, whereas Marcus sustained burns over 40 percent of his body.

Hospital staff said they are currently coordinating with another facility to facilitate a transfer. The infant remains at ARMMC pending the referral.