A Sydney man accused of severely burning his girlfriend's 10-month-old son allegedly left the baby alone under a scalding shower while he smoked a cigarette and charged his phone.
The boy remains in an induced coma at Westmead Children's Hospital with serious burns to 40 per cent of his body and significant head injuries.
His distraught mother is by his hospital bedside as he receives treatment for critical injuries.
The little boy's biological father has flown from Queensland to join the bedside vigil.
In a statement to the Daily Telegraph, he expressed their heartache at what had happened to their son.
"Our hearts are broken for (our son), we cannot believe that this could happen to such a beautiful little boy," the statement read.
"We just pray our little king has a full recovery and that he is still the happy and outgoing little boy he was before this. We also hope to see the monster who done this to him punished to the full extent of the law."
The 23-year-old man accused of inflicting the life-threatening injuries was refused bail at the Penrith Local Court on Monday and will remain behind bars before facing court again next month.
In opposing bail, police prosector Daniel Winter said the man showed very little remorse for inflicting the horrific injuries.
Mr Winter said it would be alleged the Penrith man put the baby in the shower after the boy vomited.
The man allegedly told officers at the scene: "I put him in the shower, I put the hot (tap) on, I didn't put the cold on and I went away.
"I went to put my phone on the charger and have a smoke," the 23-year-old allegedly said.
The court heard he returned to the shower to find the boy's skin "peeling off".
He allegedly told attending police he "f--d up" and feared he'd lose custody of his child.
The prosecution argued the 23-year-old was a flight risk, despite not having a passport, and had a long history of criminal violence.
The man's legal aid lawyer said his client was a Centrelink recipient with "extremely limited means" and the full-time carer of a three-year-old son.
The court heard he had recently secured custody of the boy after he was previously taken by the Department of Community Services (DOCS).
The lawyer requested the 23-year-old be released on strict bail conditions.
But Magistrate Gary Wilson refused, describing the victim's injuries as horrific.
Mr Wilson said in addition to extensive burns, the 10-month-old had severe bruising to his skull, face and jaw.
He said the man's reported attitude to the victim was "manifestly inadequate" and there appeared to be a strong case against him.
The 23-year-old was remanded in custody to reappear in court via videolink on December 14.
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