A lesbian couple who was charged with murder in the death of their 4-year-old son reportedly treated his severe 3rd-degree burns for nine days before he died. They then took a Lyft to discard the boy’s body in a dumpster 10 miles from their home.
Police say Malachi Lawson’s mother, Alicia Lawson, reported him missing the next day. Alicia told police she last saw her son on his grandmother’s porch. But after her story changed, she finally admitted he was dead and she disposed of his body.
Alicia, 25, and her domestic partner, Shakita Lawson, 40, were arrested and charged with neglect resulting in the death of a minor, first-degree child abuse, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and making false statements, according to CBS 13 in Baltimore.
Charging documents obtained by the Baltimore Sun, WJZ and ABC News, reveal the horrific injuries Malachi suffered in his final days.
Alicia and Shatika told police the boy soiled himself, and they were giving him a bath but they didn’t realize the water in the tub was scalding hot.
While they washed his soiled clothes in the sink, they turned around and saw Malachi had suffered “serious” third-degree burns on his body from his waist down, according to the documents.
The burns were so severe the women could see skin floating in the water. They said they didn’t call 911 because they feared Malachi would be removed from their home.
Over the next nine days the women attempted to treat the child’s 3rd-degree burns on their own. Third-degree burns require emergency medical attention in a burn unit.
“From the time of the child’s injury to the fabricated call to 911, neither Alicia or Shatika sought medical treatment for the child, instead seeking to hide his injuries for the sake of their own well being which resulted in his death,” the charging documents state.
