Charlotte Sutton who stubbed out cigarette on her baby is jailed

October 6, 2009 by Baby Chums
Filed under: News

Charlotte Sutton, a 19 year-old mother stubbed a cigarette out on her 15-month-old daughter’s back three times, because she was “Stressed”.

The young mum was jailed for nine months yesterday leaving the court with a shrug of her shoulders as she was sent to a young offender’s institution.

Hereford Crown Court heard the warning was raised by the child’s paternal grandmother who had called social workers after seeing the burns whilst changing the baby’s nappy. Social Workers then contacted the police.

Sutton had told police that her cigarette tip had accidentally fallen down the back of the child’s clothing while she was talking to friends outside a fast food restaurant.

However a consultant pediatrician who examined the child shortly after the incident in May last year said it was ‘highly unlikely’ that the burn marks had been caused accidentally by contact with hot ash.

A jury took one short hour to find Sutton guilty of child neglect after a trial lasting two days at Worcester Crown Court a month ago. Sentencing was carried out yesterday.

Members of the jury gasped in horror and two even broke down in tears when they were shown pictures of the little girl’s injuries.

The baby is now in the care of her grandparents.