7-year-old Connor and 5-year-old Trae were taken to a splash park by their day care, Happiness is a Learning Center, on Friday, according to CNN.
What was supposed to be a fun day ended with tears as both Connor and Trae were crying in pain from the intense sunburns they got from playing without any sunscreen during a heatwave that reached 117F, according to the U.K. publication The Telegraph.
The boys’ mother, Shaunna Broadway, reportedly claimed that the daycare, which was permanently closed as of Tuesday, had run out of sunscreen and told the boys to wear T-shirts, but failed to enforce this throughout their time out in the intense heat.
“It’s just devastating. These boys, my world pretty much revolves around them,” the boys’ grandfather stated.
“I’ve always been grandpa but I’ve always filled in the dad post too so we’re really close and it just breaks my heart because grandpa couldn’t fix this.”
Broadway reportedly told Buzzfeed News that she found the staff members of the day care calling her oldest son a “baby” because he was crying about his burns. Each child reportedly suffered from second degree burns and were taken to the hospital.
Burned skin was reportedly removed from their backs once they reached the hospital. Connor will reportedly remain in a wrap for 72 hours to treat his burns, which reached levels of third degree.
The boys also reportedly suffered boils on their shoulders and backs while Connor complained of chest pain after his extreme exposure to the sun.
A GoFundMe page has reportedly been created to alleviate the cost of the hospital bills and Broadway’s time off of work so she can care for her boys.
No other children on the trip to Splash Pad theme park are reported to have experienced burns. However, police officer Bobby Floyd reportedly stated that police were investigating any criminal element of neglect with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and conducting interviews with the day care center, other parents and the hospital to determine whether there were elements of child abuse or neglect.
