Tyler, Texas Man Sentenced To Prison After Burning Stepson In 2022

A man in Tyler, Texas has received his sentence regarding a case that began back in May of 2022. Here's the full details of case.

The Case As Described By Police

According to CBS 19, Child Protective Services first alerted the Smith County Sheriff's Office in regards to a child with severe burns on their body. The unidentified four-year-old was taken from Tyler, Texas to Dallas, Texas due to the severity of the burns.

During preliminary investigations, a doctor revealed that boy's burns covered about 33% to 36% of his body. Places upon the body that had burns included the buttocks, back of thighs, complete lower legs and feet, and a burn on his right arm. The doctor also told detectives the burns were third-degree, and added they were considered forced immersion.

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Joshua Tranair Meekings, the child's stepfather, first told detectives that the child a pot of boiling water had spilled over him, thus causing the burns. But CPS countered that claim by saying the burns were caused by the child being placed in the water.

Additional Testimony By Child's Babysitter

The Affidavit also had statements from the babysitter of the child. According to the babysitter, they informed Meekings that the child had went to the bathroom on themselves, and that Meekings needed to assist in the the cleaning of the child.

The babysitter stated that Meekings took the clothes off the child, placed the child in the tub with the hot water, then left the area to play video games. According to investigations, the water temperature out of the faucet was 145 degrees, sitting at 140 while in the tub.

After further investigations, Meekings was arrested and charged with injury to a child with intent to cause serious bodily injury.

On September 18th of 2023, he plead guilty to the charge, with his sentence being 40 years in a TDCJ prison.