Girl, 5, Burned When Sweater Ignites; Parents Didn’t Call 911: Police

HIGHLAND PARK, MI — A 5-year-old from Highland Park is hospitalized with third-degree burns after her sweater caught fire Friday and her parents treated her injuries with petroleum jelly and tissue, but she didn’t receive medical attention until she complained of intense pain two days later and an anonymous caller notified authorities, police said.

The four adults who were present pulled the sweater off the girl and applied the home remedy. The girl sustained burns to the upper torso, under her arms and on her shoulders and is in serious condition at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan, Highland Park Police Detective Brian Menge told Patch.

The four adults in the home — her parents, her grandmother and her uncle — were taken into custody by Highland Park police, who are continuing the investigation. After the anonymous caller tipped off authorities, Child Protective Services took custody of the girl’s four siblings, Menge said. The tipster was not a family member, he said.

It’s unclear how the fire started, Menge said, noting “there are a couple of different stories.”

Instead of treating the girl with petroleum jelly, the family should have applied cold compresses and gotten the child to the emergency room as soon as possible, he said.

Menge said the case will be forwarded to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

Photo via Shutterstock