A Pembroke man who was caring for three children while their mother was at work is accused of scalding his 7-month-old baby’s foot with hot soup, according to police.

Police said Matthew Butler, 26, of 137 Pembroke St., Unit A5, caused second- and third -degree burns to his baby by immersing the child’s foot in “hot liquid.” Hours later, Butler allegedly tried to take his own life by consuming an assortment of prescription medications and stabbing himself in the abdomen with a kitchen knife, police said.

Pembroke police Lt. Dwayne Gilman said police initially believed Butler scalded the baby in hot bath water, but further investigation of a yellow substance on the baby’s clothes and a second search of the apartment Butler shares with the mother suggest the burns may have come from heated cream of chicken soup.

Police said the incident occurred late on the night of Feb. 7, or early Feb. 8, when the mother – Butler’s girlfriend – was away at work. According to a report faxed to police by the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families, the mother said Butler had a drinking problem and had two drinks before she’d left for work on the night of the alleged incident. She also told police that Butler “cannot deal with the kids crying and yelling in the house,” according to court records.

Gilman said police are investigating whether Butler may have abused children in the past, but said he has no criminal record locally, and only moved to the area from Vermont about a year ago.

“That’s something we’re going to have to look into,” Gilman said. “This arrest was only part of our investigation.”

After police found Butler bleeding and with a stab wound, he was hospitalized and received a psychiatric evaluation, police said.

Police arrested Butler on Tuesday, Feb. 20, just after he was medically cleared. Gilman said there was no trouble with the arrest. Butler was arraigned that morning and released on $15,000 bail. He’s been ordered to stay with his parents in Brattleboro, Vt., until a March probable cause hearing.