Foster mother accused of pouring hot drink on 10-month-old child in Winchester

A Mount Sterling foster mother is facing a criminal abuse charge in Clark County after police say she was seen pouring a hot chocolate on her 10-month-old child.

Winchester police were called out to the McDonald's on Shoppers Village Plaza on Saturday.

Officers say, at first, they were told Ashley Neal fell in the restaurant and spilled the drink on the child.

Neal told officers she could not remember what happened.

Surveillance video inside the restaurant shows Neal walking with her child in a baby carrier against her chest, police said.

Officers say Neal was seen pouring the 150-degree drink on the baby's head, took a few more steps, then tried to fall, before bracing herself.

“This day and age, people do all sorts of things for all sorts of reasons, so we don’t know what the underlying reason was and why she wanted to harm the child, but it something we definitely needed to look into," said Winchester Police Captain James Hall.

Police say the child had extensive burns to the face and was taken to UK Hospital.

Police say Neal was also caring for two other foster children and her two biological children. The foster children have been removed from Neal's care, police said, and the other children are staying with a family member.