Dad Charged For Not Using Enough Sunblock On 12-Year-Old
Boy Severely Burned

POSTED: 1:17 pm EDT May 26, 2004
UPDATED: 2:05 pm EDT May 26, 2004

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. -- A man has been charged with child abuse for not applying enough sunblock to his 12-year-old son before a day at the beach.

The boy was severely burned as a result, authorities said.

Walter McKelvie Jr., 43, of Vineland, was indicted Tuesday and charged with one count of child abuse and neglect in the July 20 incident, in which he took his mentally disabled son to the beach in Wildwood.

The son, identified only as R.M., suffered large, bleeding blisters on his back and face. Authorities were alerted by the boy's mother, who has custody of him but was not with him at the beach, according to Assistant Cape May County Prosecutor Meghan Hoerner.

She took the boy to the hospital and then reported the incident to authorities.

McKelvie told investigators he put sunblock on the boy, but the indictment said he failed "to apply enough sunscreen causing severe sunburn to R.M." while he had custody of him.

If convicted, McKelvie could face up to 18 months in prison.

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