28 year old Trevor Emptage was in court for less than 10 minutes this afternoon.
The White City man faces charges of assault in the first degree and criminal mistreatment in the first degree.
He entered a ‘not guilty’ plea.
County investigators say last week, Emptage forced his one-year-old foster child under scalding hot water from a faucet, because she defecated in a bathtub.
“We tell the children this home is gonna be safe, and when something like this happens it’s devastating for everyone,” said Leslie Lanier with the Department of Human Services.
Officials, who placed the little girl in Emptage’s home, say they were saddened by the news.
They maintain their vetting process of Emptage was thorough.
Neighbors, of the 28 year old suspect, point to a temper.
“I told him before to control his animal (cat), he said go ahead and shoot it if i wanted to. As far asI know, he has a short fuse with the kids, period,” said a neighbor who asked not to be identified.
The little girl is recovering in a Portland burn center. She is walking again. Right now, doctors are examining the child for any long-term complications.
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