Police in Council Bluffs have arrested a woman after her 10-month old male child was admitted to Jennie Edmundson Hospital suffering from 2nd Degree burns, Saturday afternoon. Officers responded to the hospital at around 12:30-p.m. to investigate the incident, and learned the child had burns to his left hand and forearm. The Medical Staff were given an account of how the injuries occurred by the child’s mother, 36-year old Rebecca L. Brahier, but the injuries were not consistent to her story.
Medical Staff contacted Law Enforcement and the Department of Human Services to respond. Investigators interviewed the parents of the child, during the interview with the mother, Investigators found that the mother had intentionally placed the child’s left arm into a tall coffee mug full of hot coffee to prove a point to the child that the coffee was hot. Investigators were told the child tried to touch her hot coffee several times prior to her placing his arm in the mug.
Investigators did not find the father to have had knowledge of this incident. The 10 month old was placed into Protective Custody along with a 12 year old Sibling. The Child was transferred to UNMC for treatment of his injuries. Brahier was arrested and charged with Willful Injury and Child Endangerment.