Lumberton Man Accused Of Burning Toddler In Dryer

LUMBERTON, TX (AP) – A Lumberton man is accused of burning his girlfriend’s daughter by putting the two-year-old in a clothes dryer — and starting it.

Twenty-seven-year-old Bobby Lynn Curtis is charged with injury to a child with serious bodily injury. Curtis, who’s in the Hardin County Jail, faces five to 99 years in prison if convicted of the 1st-degree felony. Bond is $150,000.

Lumberton police say Curtis lives at the home where the girl was hurt Sunday night when the mother was at the store. Captain Danny Sullins says Curtis gave the child a bath, then the youngster apparently had “thrown a fit.” Sullins says Curtis allegedly put the girl in the dryer, started it for a short time, took the child out and put her to bed.

The mother — the next morning — noticed burns on the girl’s arm and contacted police. The child was then treated and released from a hospital. Police say Curtis, who was arrested late yesterday, is not the father.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)