Man charged in scalding boy now faces drug charges

A 27-year-old Whitefish man already facing charges related to a young boy’s scalding in a bathtub in October has now been charged with fraudulently obtaining dangerous drugs, a felony.

Juan Vasquez was arrested Dec. 10 and charged with felony aggravated assault and felony criminal endangerment after the five-year-old boy was severely burned at Vasquez’s former girlfriend’s house on Ramsey Avenue.

Vasquez was baby-sitting the boy on Oct. 24, the date of the incident. Law enforcement officials believe Vasquez totally immersed the boy in scalding hot water and forced the boy to stay in the tub despite his screams.

The boy, who received second- and third-degree burns over 40 percent of his body, was transported to Harborview Medical Center’s burn unit, in Seattle. He has since returned to Montana to be with his mother.

The new charge stems from allegations that Vasquez stole prescription pain medicine that belonged to his former girlfriend.

Vasquez is being held in Flathead County Detention Center on a $120,000 bond. If convicted of both the aggravated assault and criminal endangerment charges, he faces up to 30 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Vasquez pleaded not guilty to the aggravated assault and criminal endangerment charges during his arraignment on Dec. 31.