SULTAN — A 24-year-old man was arrested Friday for allegedly burning a 3-year-old boy with a blow dryer and punching him in the face.

The child’s mother had been dating the man and moved into his house in Sultan. She said her son had bruises, and that her boyfriend claimed he “accidentally elbowed” him. He told her not to take the boy to urgent care because police might get involved.

The injuries were reported March 4. When a deputy arrived at the house, the boy said the man had attacked him. The child had a black eye and other bruises on his face, as well as three semi-circular burn marks. In addition, the suspect reportedly directed the blow dryer at the child’s groin.

Medical exams indicated that the bruising and burning may have taken place at separate times. The boy was placed into foster care.

When deputies interviewed the suspect Friday, he said the mother had a temper, though he never saw her hit the child. He said there were no hair dryers in the house. Instead, he explained, the boy may have just been crawling around the house and “hit one of the soldering irons or something.”

Deputies noted that the man didn’t seem concerned about the boy’s injuries. They booked him into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of second-degree assault of a child. The man also had warrants for DUI and drug possession. His bail was maintained Monday at $50,000.

Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.