Wawa convenience store pays out a $3MILLION settlement to the family of a girl, 3, who was severely burned by boiling water - despite the company being warned of the dangers of serving it at such high temperatures (7 Pics)

A US convenience store chain has been ordered to pay $3 million to the family of a little girl burned so badly with hot water by one of its employees, an attorney said her body looked as if it had been 'napalmed'. 

The tragic incident happened at a Wawa store in Neptune, New Jersey, on April 25, 2018. 

Mother Roya Konzman, of Virginia, was shopping at Wawa with her then-three-year-old daughter known only as N.K., picking up food and two cups of hot water for tea from the store's hot-water dispenser.

When the mother and daughter made to pay, the clerk at the register knocked over some bottled water while bagging their shopping.

This collided with one of the cups of hot water, bursting 'all over the child's upper body, arms and torso'.

A Wawa convenience store and gas station

Mother Roya Konzman and little N.K about to pay for their food at a Wawa store in Neptune, New Jersey (it is not known which of the two women is the mother)

The Wawa clerk is seen passing the bags across the counter, tipping the cup of hot water N.K is dangerously close to

Little N.K. was rushed by ambulance to a burns unit at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, having sustained second and third-degree burns. 

The Konzmans’ attorney David Mazie claimed N.K's burns were so bad at the time of the incident, Livingston paramedics wanted to airlift her. 

Wawa knew the hot water in its machines was kept at a 'highly dangerous temperature', according to NBC News, posing a threat of serious injury if spilled on someone. 

'Despite being aware of this serious danger, Wawa kept the water at such a dangerously high temperature and acted recklessly and with wanton disregard for the safety of its patrons, including N.K.,' the lawsuit reads. 

Wawa agreed to pay a settlement of $3 million to the Konzmans on March 30, two years after the incident occurred. 

The hot water in the large red cup is now on its side and N.K leaps backwards covered in boiling liquid 

Her mother and a helper rush to get her clothes off which are now drenched in boiling water 

Little N.K, aged 3, stands bare-chested and with very red skin looking very distressed 

Wawa staff rush to the scene to console the scolded child who later has second and third-degree burns 

The money was split between the mother and daughter - with $2.55 million to be placed in trust and annuity for N.K., and $450,000 for mother Roya for 'emotional distress'.

Parents Carl and Roya Konzman, of Neptune, filed a federal lawsuit against Wawa in May 2018.

It found that although the clerk was 'negligent', Wawa was ultimately responsible for both its workforce and managing the temperature of the water on its premises.

The lawsuit claims N.K. could be scarred for life.