Baltimore lovers treat child like rat and toss him in the trash

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Shatika Lawson

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Alicia Lawson

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Malachi Lawson, 4-year-old boy who was found dead in a dumpster Saturday suffered from severe, untreated burns for days before he died, according to newly released charging documents. The boy’s mother, Alicia Lawson, 25, and her spouse, Shatika Lawson, 40, were arrested and charged with 11 different counts including involuntary manslaughter, first-degree child abuse, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and giving false statements.

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According to the charging documents, the two women were giving Malachi a bath after he soiled himself. Shatika placed the boy in the tub and the two women started washing the soiled clothing in the sink, police said. When the women turned back around they noticed Malachi had “serious” burns from his waist to his feet. The burns were so bad the women could see skin floating in the water from Malachi’s body, the documents said. Over the next nine days the women decided to treat the boy’s burns on their own. They were fearful that Malachi would be taken from their care, police said. “They both decided to not call 911 or seek any other type of medical assistance due to fear that the child would be taken from them, that they would get in trouble for what happened to the child and their past history with child protective services,” the charging documents said. Both women were ordered held without bail Monday.

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