Abused Girl Forced To Kneel In Scalding Water

A foster mother forced a girl to kneel in scalding water after the child soiled herself, a family court judge has ruled.

Judge Sarah Singleton said the girl - who is now aged 12 - was treated with "cold contempt" by her foster mother and the woman's partner.

The girl was also bitten by her foster parents' three Rottweiler dogs, the court heard, and was left "deeply traumatised".

The child is now in the care of Lancashire council. She lived with the couple for about a decade.

She was taken from the pair about two years ago after making complaints about her foster mother's "cruelty and abuse" during meetings with a counsellor organised through a school.

Details of the case emerged in a ruling by the judge following a private hearing at Blackpool family court.

The judge was asked to make decisions about who had caused harm to the girl to help social workers make plans for the child's future.

The foster parents have not been named. The ruling gave no indication of whether they had been charged or convicted of criminal offences.

Judge Singleton said the foster mother and her partner had "failed to be truthful" and had "told deliberate lies from time to time".

She said the foster mother had given "frankly incredible" accounts of the girl "pouring or splashing boiling water over herself".

Judge Singleton said both foster parents "indignantly" denied the allegations.