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Charles City resident charged with denying care to burned child

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A former Waterloo man now living in Charles City has been charged with not seeking medical care for a young boy whose hands had been burned by scalding water.

Rickie Martrese Perkins Jr., age 34, who initially listed his address as Waterloo but later listed his address as Charles City, is facing a charge of child endangerment causing serious injury, a Class C felony.

Waterloo police officers state in court documents that they were contacted on Feb. 27 by an employee of the Department of Human Services who reported a 3-year-old boy was at Allen Hospital with second- and third-degree burns to the majority of both his hands, with the skin peeling off.

Charles City resident charged with denying care to burned child
Ricky Perkins Jr.

The boy was transported by ambulance to University of Iowa Hospitals for more advanced treatment, and remained there for several days.

According to the report, Perkins was at the time living in Waterloo with the alleged victim’s mother.

“The juvenile victim was in the care of the defendant when the victim sustained the severe scalding water burns on his hands from the bathroom sink while he was attempting to wash his hands,” the report said.

Perkins “admitted to attempting to treat the victim’s burns at home by putting peroxide on the victim’s hands and wrapping them with wet towels,” the report said.

Police said the boy was injured between midnight and 3 a.m., and Perkins “did not call for emergency assistance and did not transport the juvenile to the emergency department, therefore denying critical care.”

The boy didn’t receive medical treatment until 10 a.m. when his mother took him to the Allen Hospital emergency room.

An arrest warrant was issued for Perkins on March 20, and he was taken into custody on March 28. He was released on $10,000 bond.

In an application for counsel, Perkins lists his address as Charles City and says he is employed by a business in Charles City.

On Tuesday the Black Hawk County Attorney’s Office filed for a no-contact order between Perkins and the alleged victim.

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