(Black) boyfriend accused of burning, abusing girlfriend’s 2-year-old

https://www.abc12.com/2021/02/19/fli...ds-2-year-old/

Flint Township man accused of burning, abusing girlfriend’s 2-year-old

If convicted of 1st degree child abuse and torture, the 23-year-old is facing up to life in prison.

Published: Feb. 19, 2021 at 3:59 PM UTC|Updated: 6 hours ago

FLINT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJRT) - A 23-year-old Flint Township man is facing up to life in prison, accused of abusing his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said the mother came home from work last week to find her daughter covered in burns. He said the woman’s boyfriend, Leonard Dortch, told her he left the hair dryer on while cooking in another room.

The couple tried to treat the burns themselves, but Leyton said they took the little girl to Hurley Medical Center when they weren’t healing.

“The emergency room physician and the other expert physicians at Hurley don’t believe that’s what happened,” he said. “They believe that some hot liquid was put on the child, causing these burns.”

Leyton said physicians found the 2-year-old also had a number of other injuries a physical exam, including a fractured wrist, bleeding on her brain and bruises on several internal organs. He believes Dortch also is responsible for that abuse.

The 23-year-old is charged with first-degree child abuse and torture, which carries up to life in prison if he is convicted.

Leyton believes the little girl will survive her extensive injuries.