Seekonk Aunt, Mother Arrested in Connection With Life-Threatening Burns to Four-Year-Old

SEEKONK (WBSM) — Two Seekonk women were arrested Saturday in connection with an incident in their home in which a four-year-old child suffered second and third-degree burns over large portions of her body.

According to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, both the aunt and the mother of the child were arrested November 11 in connection with the October 8 incident.

The child’s aunt, Franzceska Gerome, 44, was arrested by Seekonk Police and is charged with reckless endangerment of a child, assault and battery on a child with substantial injury, and permitting substantial injury to a child.

The child’s mother, Guilene Gerome, 38, was also arrested and is charged with reckless endangerment of a child and permitting substantial injury to a child.

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The D.A.’s Office said Seekonk Police responded to a residence on Oak Hill Avenue at around noon on October 9 for a report of a four-year-old girl with significant burns over large portions of her body. The D.A.’s Office said investigation revealed the girl “sustained life-threatening injuries about 17 hours before any law enforcement or medical professionals were contacted.”

“By the time the victim arrived at Hasbro Children's Hospital, she was in critical condition,” the D.A.’s Office said. “Her body was in shock due to the significant second and third degree burns that she was suffering from and her organs were not functioning properly, which put her at risk of cardiac arrest.”

The girl is now in stable condition but remains hospitalized.

Following the investigation, arrest warrants were applied for and issued on Thursday, November 9, and the two women were arrested in Seekonk on November 11 without incident.

They will be arraigned Monday morning in Taunton District Court. No further information was provided.