Dad doesn't use enough sunscreen on kid

[Jenny AU-92 0]

Link to Story

Child Abuse???? You gotta be kidding. Sounds like a vindictive bitch of an ex-wife to me.

Dad Charged For Not Using Enough Sunblock On 12-Year-Old

Boy Severely Burned

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. -- A man has been charged with child abuse for not applying enough sunblock to his 12-year-old son before a day at the beach.

The boy was severely burned as a result, authorities said.

Walter McKelvie Jr., 43, of Vineland, was indicted Tuesday and charged with one count of child abuse and neglect in the July 20 incident, in which he took his mentally disabled son to the beach in Wildwood.

The son, identified only as R.M., suffered large, bleeding blisters on his back and face. Authorities were alerted by the boy's mother, who has custody of him but was not with him at the beach, according to Assistant Cape May County Prosecutor Meghan Hoerner.

She took the boy to the hospital and then reported the incident to authorities.

McKelvie told investigators he put sunblock on the boy, but the indictment said he failed "to apply enough sunscreen causing severe sunburn to R.M." while he had custody of him.

If convicted, McKelvie could face up to 18 months in prison.

[Guest AuNuma1]

Bleeding blisters? I've never heard of sunburn bad enough to leave bleeding blisters...that sounds pretty bad. Was he albino or something?

[channonc 466]

That's what I was wondering. There has got to be more to this story.

[tiger88 934]

I would rather have my butt beaten until the whole thing is purple than have a sun burn that results in bleeding blisters.

[Jenny AU-92 0]

I got it that bad on my face once - I did a chemical peel - under a doctor's supervision - while in college to address some serious acne issues. Unbeknwnst to me, the peel destroyed the UV protection in my face, and dumb me went to Florida and didn't put sunscreen on my skin because I thought it would clog my pores! I got second and third degree burns on my entire face, which bled and actually peeled off completely three separate times. I am lucky I was not scarred for life.

Many people with Down's symdrome are very fair skinned - don't know if that was the case here, but that is a part of the condition, I think. Either way, I don't see this as being child abuse.

Bleeding hearts give parents back their children that have been burned with lit cigarettes and are starved within an inch of their lives, but this poor schmuck tries to do a good thing and spend some time with his kid, and gets nailed for it. Again, sounds like bitter ex-wife issues to me.

[tiger88 934]

I agree. No matter how dumb it was unless they can prove he intentionally harmed the child, forget it.

[autigger 0]

Bleeding blisters? I've never heard of sunburn bad enough to leave bleeding blisters...that sounds pretty bad. Was he albino or something?

Ive had the blisters. They would pop and ugh. My sophomore year at Auburn, after the first two weeks of marching band practiced i was hospitalized and diagnosed with sun poison. You know you are in trouble when you start seeing stars. THe Sun is a very dangerous thing...... The fact that the kid is mentally disabled and probably doesnt understand the need for sunscreen himself may be where the ex-wife has a case....