Tampa Police have arrested 66-year-old Ruby Brown for child neglect after they say an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip led to them finding out a young boy had been burned.
Officers were dispatched to the hospital and learned that the 7-year-old victim was lit on fire by another child on September 6. The suspect was responsible for the victim’s care and failed to take the him to the hospital, police say.
Five days after the burn, the child’s school called to see why he had missed so many days. He was taken to the hospital only after school employees arrived at the victim’s residence and discovered what had happened.
DCF responded to the hospital and took custody of the victim, who will be hospitalized for an undetermined amount of time. Police say the victim suffered “serious burns” to his torso.
The child was originally taken to another hospital on Thursday and was transferred to Tampa Gernal in the afternoon.
Police say the child did not attend a Hillsborough County public school.
