One of the most exciting times of a parent's life is seeing their child get up on their own and walk.
The only downside is that you can't take your eyes off your child for a split second, in case they get hurt.
One mother learned this lesson the hard way, and now she's urging others to keep a close eye on their young children.
"In an instant, everything just kind of changed."
Herrera usually puts her one-year-old daughter, Azra, in her high chair, but on the day of the incident, she let her daughter walk free in her walker.
While the mother was looking in the fridge, Azra walked up to the kitchen island, where a slow cooker was plugged in.
"In an instant, everything just kind of changed," Herrera told Oklahoma News 4.
The cord was dangling low enough that the little one could grab with her hand.
When Azra pulled it, the appliance fell off the counter, spilling the hot contents on the left side of her face.
"She barely made a sound," Herrera said. "It was horrible -- I was shaking. I ripped her out of the walker and started screaming for other people in the house."
Herrera rushed her baby to hospital, where the pediatric burn center treated her for second-degree burns.
"You never think it will happen to you, but accidents happen."
Thankfully, Azra is expected to make a full recovery, but getting there won't be easy.
The toddler was in hospital for days because she was malnourished, and it will take weeks until her face fully heals.
"[T]he burns had just sucked everything out of her," Herrera said, adding, "You never think it could happen to you - and you hear that a lot but, when it does happen to you, there's just no words to really describe the feeling."
Herrera hopes that telling her story will raise awareness about the dangers of leaving hot appliances lying around with little ones in the house, even if you think you're constantly watching them.
"I still think to myself what I could have done differently," she said.
[H/T: Fox News]
