Mother accused of refusing to take child who had third-degree burns to hospital

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A mother was charged in Boone County after she allegedly refused to take her child with third-degree burns to a hospital.

Elizabeth Moore, 33, was charged with child abuse on Thursday in Boone County. A warrant was served and she was held on a $10,000 bond. She was listed on the Boone County Jail’s 0700 report on Thursday, but was not listed on the jail roster on Thursday evening. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says the child showed up to a Columbia school on Tuesday with severe burns on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Moore was allegedly told by a school nurse – who used to work in a burn unit – during the first day that they needed to be brought to a hospital for second- and third-degree burns. The nurse also allegedly told Moore that ointment that was used would be not be sufficient to heal the child, the statement says.

The child returned the next day with a new bandage wrap that was allegedly stuck to their skin and the nurse claimed the youth needed to get to a hospital to avoid an infection, the statement says. The statement says there was a chance of the youth needing a skin graft to heal.

Moore allegedly told police that someone had spilled boiling water on the youth while they were cooking, the statement says. They were staying at the Welcome Inn in Columbia.

The officer asked Moore why she didn’t bring the youth to the hospital and she allegedly replied with “not everything needs to go to the doctor,” court documents say.

“Moore stated the school made it seem like she needed help to take the kids and stated she does not,” the officer wrote in the statement.