PLAISTOW, N.H. (CBS/AP) — Police are looking for a New Hampshire couple suspected of inflicting burns and bruises on a 3-year-old boy.

The boy’s mother, 23-year-old Jessica Linscott and her boyfriend, 27-year-old Roland Dow, are wanted for first degree assault, charges that were upgraded Tuesday from child endangerment and neglect.

Police in Plaistow received a call last week from Exeter Hospital that a child with significant head injuries was admitted there.

The boy was later taken to Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth in Lebanon, where he is recovering after surgery.

Police Lt. William Baldwin said the boy’s condition is improving, but his recovery will be long and difficult. His vision is also impaired.

Baldwin called the child’s injuries disturbing.

“We cannot fathom for the life of us why someone could put a child through this,” he said.

Baldwin said Linscott and Dow told police over the phone the injuries were self-inflicted, but doctors rejected that.

The couple said they would go to the police on Monday, but Baldwin said that didn’t happen. Police believe someone is hiding them.

Dow is not the father of the child and family members are concerned that Jessica could be in danger.

The search has expanded to all of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, where Dow has relatives in Haverhill.

U.S. Marshals, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department and Newton police are helping investigators.

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