CORAL CHALMERS DUNDEE WOMAN WHO BURNED TODDLER WITH IRON ESCAPES PRISON IN DUNDEE
In a distressing case that unfolded in Dundee, a 23-month-old toddler suffered a severe triangular burn mark after an incident involving a hot iron.The woman responsible, Coral Chalmers, aged 23, was brought before Dundee Sheriff Court where she faced charges of assault and causing injury to the young child.
The court proceedings revealed a troubling account of how the injury was inflicted, with the jury ultimately finding her guilty of the charges after a brief deliberation that lasted just over an hour.
Chalmers attempted to justify her actions by claiming that the burns on the child's leg were self-inflicted, asserting that the toddler had backed into a cooker that had been turned off approximately 45 minutes earlier.
She argued that the child had caused the injury himself, a story that was met with skepticism by the court.
Medical experts testified that the distinctive shape of the burn, which resembled a triangle, was consistent with the heat plate of an iron, not a self-inflicted or accidental injury.
The incident reportedly took place at a residence in Dundee between the 28th and 30th of November 2019.
Following her conviction, Sheriff Alistair Carmichael sentenced Chalmers to perform 200 hours of unpaid community service, opting for this alternative to imprisonment.
The sheriff emphasized the seriousness of the matter but also acknowledged the possibility of other options, indicating a consideration of her circumstances.
During the trial, a paediatric expert provided crucial testimony, confirming that the pattern of the burn was most likely caused by an iron.
The court heard that Chalmers had taken the child to King’s Cross Hospital on November 30th, citing concerns that he had a cold.
Later, the child was transferred to Ninewells Hospital, where Chalmers explained to medical staff that the injury had occurred the previous evening.
She claimed that she was holding the child and reaching for a cupboard when the injury happened, asserting that the cooker was still hot at that time.
However, police investigations challenged her account.
A scene examiner revealed that tests showed the oven would have cooled to just 30 degrees Celsius in less than half the time she claimed.
Dr.
Jenny Fraser, who examined the child, concluded in her report that the injury was “non-accidental” and consistent with inflicted burns from a household iron.
She explained that the symmetrical nature of the burn and the brief contact time needed to cause such an injury pointed to deliberate harm rather than an accident.
During cross-examination, the prosecution asked whether the shape of the burn suggested the child had been sitting on the cooker, but Dr.
Fraser dismissed this, stating that such an injury would typically be more rounded and located on the buttocks if that were the case.
She also refuted the suggestion that the child might have backed into the iron, emphasizing that the pattern of the burn matched the iron’s shape and that it was unlikely the injury resulted from such an incident.
Further testimony from Dr.
Katherine Lawlor, who examined the child at Ninewells Hospital, expressed reservations about the explanations provided by Chalmers.
The defendant herself admitted to police that the child “never said anything or made a noise” after contact with the cooker and that he was later observed sitting on a couch watching cartoons.
Despite her remorse and feelings of guilt, Chalmers denied deliberately scalding the child's leg, claiming she only noticed the burn the following day.
Ultimately, the jury found Chalmers guilty of injuring the child by assault and intentionally burning him with an iron.
The court’s decision underscores the gravity of the offense and the importance of protecting vulnerable children from harm.
The case has drawn significant attention in Dundee, highlighting the serious consequences of such actions and the ongoing debate about appropriate sentencing for such offenses.
