A one-year-old baby boy suffered second-degree burns on nearly half of his body after he was allegedly scalded with boiling water by his nanny in Barangay Malanday, Marikina City.

The child, identified only by the alias Marcus, sustained severe burns after the nanny, identified as alias Ruby, 57, reportedly poured boiling water directly onto his back while preparing to bathe him. The nanny had been employed by the child’s parents, Daphine and Mark, for only two days before the incident.

According to the nanny’s account, she boiled water and transferred it to a dipper for the child’s bath but became confused and failed to mix it with cold water. The boiling water was instead poured directly onto the child, causing extensive burns and skin peeling from the neck down to the feet.

Personnel from Barangay Malanday immediately responded and advised that the child be brought to the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, which provides medico-legal services.

The child was rushed to the hospital, where he received immediate first aid. Two days later, doctors from the burn unit informed the parents that the child would need debridement, or scraping of burned skin. Due to the severity of the pain, anesthesia was recommended, and the parents agreed.

As part of hospital protocol, the child was required to fast for 24 hours before the procedure. However, nearly 24 hours later, another physician reportedly instructed the parents to resume breastfeeding, citing signs of dehydration.

Hospital management later informed the parents that the facility was allegedly not equipped to perform the procedure, citing limitations in handling burn cases exceeding 30 percent of the body. The child was assessed to have burns covering about 40 percent of his body.

Despite this, the patient remains confined at the hospital as arrangements are reportedly being made for coordination with a doctor from another medical facility.