A toddler in Carles town, Iloilo Province sustained fourth-degree burns after the child tumbled into a cauldron of “batchoy” (a type of noodle soup).

The incident happened in Purok 3, Barangay Pantalan.

According to Jeanette Gallardo, the mother of two-year-old Kaiden, she was preoccupied with selling food items at the wake of a cousin on August 8, 2024.

Kaiden was playing behind her mother.

She said she was startled upon learning that the child was already inside the cauldron.

“Nabatyagan ko na lang nga…nakibot ako nga naghugampal siya. Nakita ko sya, nagapungko na siya sa kaldero nga may sabaw. Amo to ginbak-it ko siya dali-dali, amo to nangayo ko tabang (Naramdaman ko na lang na…nabigla ako na bumagsak sya. Nakita ko siya, naka-upo na sa (loob ng) kaldero na may sabaw. Kaagad ko siyang binuhat at humingi ng tulong,” Jeanette said.

She pointed out that the soup was not piping hot when the incident happened, as the cauldron was already removed from the stove about an hour prior.

It was learned that the child slipped. As the cauldron was placed on the ground, the child may have tumbled into it when he lost balance.

The child was rushed to the hospital, but expired on August 13, 2024 at the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City.

Jeanette said she may have left the child unattended while she was eking out a living, but the bashing she gets online is difficult to bear.

“Damo naga-comment nga amo na kuno ginpabay-an ko ang bata ko kag ginsulod ko sa kaldero. Abaw Diyos ko, gatulo bala ang luha ko sa sa mga comment sang tawo (Marami ang nagko-comment na pinabayaan ko daw ang anak ko at isinilid ko sa kaldero. Diyos ko, tumutulo ang luha ko sa mga comment ng tao),” she said.

Kaiden is the youngest of four siblings.

Police advised parents to be doubly careful while keeping an eye over their young children.

“Yung mga ages na ganyan, 1, 2, 3 hanggang 5, siguro tingnan natin na secured sila. Malayo sila sa hazard like electricity, mga ganyan; mga apoy, mga ganyan po. Makukulit po yung mga bata, doble ingat po talaga sila [parents],” Major Sonny Boy Garnace, chief of Carles Municipal Police Station, said.