Calumet City baby dies after being burned in bath water

CALUMET CITY (STMW) - Calumet City police were questioning a person of interest after a one-year-old boy who suffered burns to his body from scalding hot water died early Thursday.

Officers responded to a call of an unresponsive infant about 12:30 a.m. at a home in the 1600 block of Astor Street, according to Calumet City Assistant Police Chief Tom DiFiori.

The dispatcher had instructed the caller on how to give CPR, and when officers arrived at the scene, they found the boy lying on the living room floor, then they performed CPR until paramedics arrived at the scene, DiFiori said.

The boy, identified as one-year-old Noah Rudder, was taken to Franciscan St. Margaret Health in Hammond, Indiana, where he was pronounced dead at 1:55 a.m., according to the Lake County coroner’s office. He suffered burns to his body, but his manner of death was pending further studies.

DiFiori, who said the boy was burned from “scalding” hot bath water, said a man has been taken into custody in connection with the death, but no charges have been filed as of Thursday afternoon as Calumet City police conduct a death investigation.

DCFS is investigating the boy’s stepfather for allegations of abuse and neglect, spokesman Veronica Resa said. The agency has not had prior contact with the family.

Two of the Noah’s siblings have been placed under a DCFS-monitored safety plan, Resa said.