Ohio grandmother sentenced for bathing 2-year-old in scalding hot water that caused ‘horrific injuries’

Lashawnda Walters, 51, was given a 7–10 ½ year prison sentence by a Warren County judge for severely burning her 2-year-old granddaughter. It all started with a diaper change gone wrong.

According to a press release issued by prosecutor David Fornshell on May 2, Walters entered a guilty plea to accusations of endangering children and tampering with evidence.

The young child who lived with Walters soiled her diaper on March 30, 2023. The child was then “attacked” by Walters, according to prosecutor Fornshell, who also gave her a scalding bath that was over 126 degrees Fahrenheit.

The child suffered second and third-degree burns over 17% of her body, including her legs, buttocks, and sensitive areas, as a result of the horrifying act.

It is concerning that Walters neglected to seek medical attention for the victim for more than five hours. The child was transferred from Cincinnati Children’s Liberty Campus to Shriners Children’s Ohio for specialized skin grafts because of the extensive burns, as disclosed by the prosecutor’s office.

The investigation also revealed that Walters tried to hide the video evidence of her crime by erasing it from her home.

Lashawanda Walters is being held at the Warren County Jail at this time.