What started as an explosive argument between a husband and wife over alleged infidelity reportedly turned into a nightmare for their 4-year-old son after police say a pot of boiling water meant for the husband ended up hitting the child instead.
Catherine Philippe, 38, of Plainfield, Indiana, is facing felony charges following the disturbing incident, according to court records and local reporting.
Police say Philippe was involved in a domestic dispute with her husband, Junior Borelus, 39. According to investigators, the argument involved accusations that Borelus was having an affair. But things allegedly escalated when Philippe grabbed a pot of boiling water and attempted to throw it at her husband.
She missed.
Instead, investigators say the scalding water struck the couple’s young son.
The child reportedly suffered severe burns across his back and left shoulder, with the injuries extending down his left arm. The burns were serious enough that the 4-year-old eventually required treatment at an Indianapolis hospital.
But authorities say the situation became even more disturbing because the boy’s injuries were reportedly already several days old when the case came to their attention.
According to police, the investigation began after the Indiana Department of Child Services notified the Plainfield Police Department about the child receiving treatment for burn injuries.
When investigators questioned Philippe, she allegedly acknowledged that she had been arguing with Borelus and had attempted to throw the boiling water at him. She reportedly told police that she didn’t realize her son had been injured badly at first and did not immediately take him to the hospital.
Authorities say she eventually sought medical treatment after the child’s condition became worse.
However, investigators reportedly received a different account from two of the couple’s older children.
According to court documents, the older children told investigators that the burns were visible immediately. They allegedly said Philippe did not want to take the boy to the hospital because she was worried about the cost and feared she would be blamed for what happened.
The older children reportedly confirmed the basic circumstances of the incident, telling investigators that Philippe was attempting to hit Borelus with the boiling water but missed and struck their younger brother.
And the argument reportedly wasn’t just about cheating.
Authorities said the children described an argument involving Borelus’ alleged mistress, while also saying that an argument over ice cream was part of what led to the confrontation.
That bizarre combination of domestic tension and an argument over something as ordinary as ice cream allegedly spiraled into a situation that left a young child severely burned.
Philippe is facing multiple charges, including neglect of a dependent resulting in injury, neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury and criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, according to court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
Borelus is also facing a neglect charge connected to the incident.
Police have also reportedly investigated the couple’s phones as part of the case, with digital evidence being examined by Indiana State University’s High Tech Crimes Unit.
Both suspects have been arrested.
Borelus was being held in the Hendricks County Jail on a $2,000 bond, while Philippe’s bond was set at $7,500.
The case is now moving through the Hendricks County court system. Borelus is scheduled for a pretrial conference on October 20, while Philippe is scheduled to appear in court again on October 29.
For now, the allegations remain just that — allegations. Neither defendant has been convicted based on the charges described in the reports.
But the case has already raised serious questions about what happened inside the Plainfield apartment and why a 4-year-old child allegedly remained at home with severe burns for days before receiving medical treatment.
What was reportedly supposed to be an attack directed at a husband ended with an innocent child caught in the middle — and now both parents are facing criminal charges as investigators continue examining exactly what happened.
The child’s current condition has not been publicly detailed beyond reports that he was receiving treatment for severe burns.
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