INDIANAPOLIS --

The father of an 11-year-old girl whose second- and third-degree burns went untreated for nearly two weeks called an ambulance twice for himself during that time, records show.

Fredrick and Sharon Wessel were arrested on Wednesday after a neighbor called 911 to report that their daughter, Heather Wessel, had been screaming in pain, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.

Police said the family's southeast-side home at 343 Villa Ave. had no heat, and that the girl was standing near a propane heater when her pajamas bottoms caught fire the night of Dec. 24.

She suffered second- and third-degree burns on her legs and buttocks, but was not taken to a hospital. Instead, her mother told police she had been using moisturizer to try to help heal the burns.

The girl was transported to Wishard Memorial Hospital and then Riley Hospital For Children on Tuesday.

Ambulance records obtained by 6News on Thursday showed that Fredrick Wessel -- who had undergone a tracheotomy -- called medics to the family's home twice for himself after his daughter had been burned.

Police said that the girl had to be carried from the home because she could not walk and doctors said they were concerned she may lose her legs.

"The longer you wait, the worse the chance the body can't handle the bacteria load of that burn wound," said Wishard Memorial Hospital Burn Unit Director Dr. Sood Rajiv, who had not treated Wessel. "You lose all of those protective barriers, that wound gets infected, because it's basically tissue that's not alive."

Heather Wessel underwent surgery on Wednesday. She was last listed in critical condition. Another child in the home was taken into custody by Child Protective Services.

Fredrick and Sharon Wessel were each preliminarily charged with one count of felony child neglect resulting in serious bodily injury and have an initial hearing on Friday.