Posted on 11/28/2006 1:04:55 PM PST by presidio9
A mother was arrested on suspicion of murdering her newborn daughter by microwaving the baby in an oven.
China Arnold, 26, was jailed Monday on a charge of aggravated murder, more than a year after she brought her dead month-old baby to a hospital. Bail was set Tuesday at $1 million.
"We have reason to believe, and we have some forensic evidence that is consistent with our belief, that a microwave oven was used in this death," said Ken Betz, director of the Montgomery County coroner's office.
He said the evidence included high-heat internal injuries and the absence of external burn marks on the baby, Paris Talley.
Arnold was arrested soon after the baby's death in August 2005, then was released while authorities investigated further. Betz said the case was difficult because "there is not a lot of scientific research and data on the effect of microwaves on human beings."
The death was ruled homicide by hyperthermia, or high body temperature. The absence of external burns ruled out an open flame, scalding water or a heating pad as the cause, Betz said.
Arnold's lawyer, Jon Paul Rion, said his client had nothing to do with her child's death and was stunned when investigators told her that a microwave might have been involved.
"China — as a mother and a person — was horrified that such an act could occur," Rion said.
The night before the baby was taken to the hospital, Arnold and the child's father went out for a short time and left Paris with a baby sitter, Rion said. The mother didn't sense anything out of the ordinary until the next morning, when the child was found unconscious, Rion said.
Arnold has three other children.
In 2000, a Virginia woman was sentenced to five years in prison for killing her month-old son in a microwave oven. Elizabeth Renee Otte claimed she had no memory of cramming her son in the microwave and turning on the appliance in 1999. Experts said that Otte suffered from epilepsy and that her seizures were followed by blackouts.
Horrible.
Mama, it hurts.
If found guilty then strait to the needle room, front of the line, no waiting...
Good God in Heaven! Put this miserable excuse for a mother in prison for LIFE.
I feel nauseous...
She'll never be convicted. They'll throw stink on the babysitter and then get one juror to hold out. Mark it down.
The method may be new but the disease of infanticide is ancient.
Argh! Why are these people allowed to have children? She needs to be removed from the gene pool immediately! Put HER in a microwave and let her duplicate her child's experience.
Strap her ass to a Sprint relay tower.
I hate to have to agree with you, but with PPD and all the other sanity issues she will probably be out before most white collar criminals would.
Could low powered microwaves be a convenient way of keeping warm during winter ?
The "Great Society" bears yet more rotten fruit!
LOVE that one!!
Jesus, just when you think that murdering mothers can't get any worse.
If they find her guilty bring back the firing squad, and aim at her knees.
There's plenty of data on the effects of high powered radar on humans. Most of it resulted from stupidity like drinking beer in front of a megawatt radar dish while it was turned on. Several deaths back in the 70's and 80's, most still classified.
This is just plain sick!
That really pisses me off to hear about someone harming a child like that. That makes me want to hurt someone like that.
I'm sure she'll be found Not Guilty by reason of Insanity by some lib activist judge/jury just like that other evil b---h who drowned her kids in the bath tub.
Me too, this is so sick, and aweful.
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