Tennessee Babysitter Accused of Burning Child With Incense Stick After Chores Not Done to His Standards

Jul. 30 2023, Published 10:06 a.m. ET
A Tennessee man is facing child abuse charges after he allegedly burned a child he was babysitting with a hot incense stick after the child did not do his chores they way he wanted, according to police.
Officials said 36-year-old Joseph Kendrick Braden II was babysitting the child in Davidson County on Feb. 11 when the incident allegedly occurred, WKRN reported.
Braden reportedly burned the child with an incense stick after the child failed to clean the living room to his standards, the arrest report stated.
The victim’s grandmother picked up the alleged victim from Braden’s care, which is when the child reportedly showed his grandmother the burn marks on his body and told her that Braden caused them, officials said.
The grandmother immediately took the child to TriStar Centennial Children’s Hospital for medical treatment, police said.
Officials noted other children were also burned and they told officers they witnessed Braden burn the victim, according to WKRN.
- Tennessee Man Shot in Head While Defending Sister From Her Samurai Sword-Wielding Ex, Cops Say
- Ohio Children, Ages 7, 6 and 4, Discovered All Weighing Less Than 30 Pounds; Mother, Great-Grandmother Accused of Starving Them
- A Tennessee Woman’s Boyfriend Wanted to Discipline Her Son. So He Struck Him With a Braided Dog Toy and Now He’s Dead, Cops Say.
Never miss a story — sign up for the Front Page Detectives newsletter. Be on the scene the moment news breaks.
Braden was arrested and he was charged with three counts of felony aggravated child abuse, authorities said.
He was booked into Metro Jail and held on a $60,000 bond.
Become a Front Page Detective
Sign up to receive breaking
Front Page Detectives
news and exclusive investigations.