Cops Suspect Microwave Was Murder Weapon

Mom, Arrested, Says She's Innocent; Weeks-Old Baby Died Of Burns

(AP)  Authorities in Dayton, Ohio, have arrested the mother of a baby girl who died in August 2005 due to high body temperature.

"We have reason to believe and scientific evidence to support that a microwave oven might have been involved in the death of this child," said Ken Betz, director of the Montgomery County, Ohio, coroner's office.

Police say China Arnold, 26, was arrested at her home Monday on a charge of aggravated murder, more than a year after she brought her dead month-old baby to a hospital.

At the time, Paris Talley's death was ruled a homicide caused by hyperthermia, or high body temperature, because of burns. Arnold was arrested initially, then released.

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."

There was a lengthy investigation before prosecutors found enough probable cause to issue another arrest warrant, said Greg Flannagan, a spokesman for the county prosecutor's office.

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 babysitter, Rion said. The mother didn't sense anything out of the ordinary until the next morning, when the child was found unconscious, Rion said.

Rion declined to say what the couple told hospital officials at the time.

Arnold, who has three other children, is being held in the Montgomery County jail and plans to plead not guilty, according to her lawyer.

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 Otte suffered from epilepsy and that her seizures were followed by blackouts.

[wetpaint519]

It is sad that, with so many people that are unable to have children, a mother would even think of doing this to her child.

[labraddock]

If they have the death penalty and the law allows this for that charge, I would support that decision. This is unacceptable. Give the child up for adoption do not punish an innocent child with death because it is unwanted or for any other reason. This makes me sick. She should pay with just as serious of a sentence.

[kailumego1]

Andrea Yates, Susan Smith, etc, etc, believe it or not, you have some women/men, who have come from some really dysfunctional environments, and not to make excuses, however, although this crime is particularly heinous, it is obvious, if she did it, she is a deeply disturbed human being.

My question is, to anyone, and everyone, why does it have to get this bad, before this type of maladaptive behavior is recognized. Where were the community leaders, the church, the teachers, and most of all the parents? This isn%u2019t the first case of child abuse/neglect, and it won%u2019t be the last.

So, my argument is to those close within the community, when, and if, you suspect something like this is occurring why not notify the authorities, or try to reach out to individual, encouraging him/her to seek help.

[kailumego1]

We can all sit back and proselytized what a terrible person she is, and rightfully so, but how about directing this rage to a more constructive vehicle, like reporting suspected abuse or neglect. A fact, 1 in 4 girl has been sexually, physically, or emotionally abused, it is lower for boys, which encompasses all facets of socio-economical status.

Unfortunately, a lot of single-mothers are from poor minority neighborhoods, with little or no, stewardship by the churches, communities, or parents. Most, of these young girls have babies when they are in middle-to-high-school, in which, very often, it is not uncommon for them to have accumulated 4+ children below the age of 30, and without any assistance from outside sources, particularly, the father[s].

And while it is a shame, because the children are the one%u2019s who suffer the most, these young women are getting absolutely no guidance or stewardship, which would have helped her make better choices, like use birth-control.

[processor2]

This story (if true), is something even liberals & conservatives can agree on.

This crime is horrific and INEXCUSABLE..

..a defense attorney better not tell us how bad this mother's life was.....No one will care....

WHAT THIS WOMAN DID TO THAT POOR BABY WAS INEXCUSABLE

[texaskos_com]

FYI, since it was censored:

So, a p***s means freedom from responsible birth control and parenting. And a vag*** means you can be stripped of rights, farmed into "educational institutions", and spayed like feral cats.

[texaskos_com]

"I still think mandatory birth control, whether white, black, red or whatever color, if after the first born, and on welfare or no husband, mandatory birth control, end of story. Also should be mandatory parenting classes tied to welfare checks."

http://www.texaskos.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2141

Wow. You've given me so much material. Where do I start? First, WHY did you assume that this *black* woman is on welfare? And if you did not assume that, then why even bring welfare up? What made you jump to welfare?

40% of today%u2019s moms are to single. Are they all welfare bums? Are single women incapable of being good parents w/o a man? Financially incapable (good argument for equal pay)? What about single professional women? Do you really believe that 40% of American mothers are welfare abusing, legs spreading, incapable parents?

Or do they just need a man to, um, round them out or something like that? Why shouldn't men be required to be snipped/neutered after THEY have a baby? Why should a woman be soley responsible for birth control? (I'm a guy btw) And of course, that because they have a ***, it gives the state the authority to take away their civil liberties, which is what you are claiming is ok by making it "mandatory".

So, a *** means freedom from responsible birth control and parenting. And a *** means you can be stripped of rights, farmed into "educational institutions", and spayed like feral cats.

This was a horrible crime but myopic beliefs like this make it worse.

[processor2]

This story (if true), is something even liberals & conservatives can agree on.

This crime is horrific and INEXCUSABLE..

..a defense attorney better not tell us how bad this mother's life was.....No one will care....

WHAT THIS WOMAN DID TO THAT POOR BABY WAS INEXCUSABLE

[crystalblue3]

I am absolutely horrified that someone would even think of doing something like this.

I thought I had just about heard it all when it came to the atrocities people can dream up but this one is the worst.

I wish I had skipped this story because I think it's going to give me nightmares.

[mjv2944]

I still think mandatory birth control, whether white, black, red or whatever color, if after the first born, and on welfare or no husband, mandatory birth control, end of story. Also should be mandatory parenting classes tied to welfare checks. ACLU can have a hay day with this one, but they have to have a reason for all that fund raising that they do. Its not fair to the child to be subjected to a life of poverty with too few chances of getting out.

[gramto7]

this is a good argument for why some people should not even have children,the child was not wanted and died an unspeakable death
Posted by pearlshole

I agree with your evaluation of the situation. No matter what, even a person in a post-ictal state wouldn't do something like this. I didn't mean to leave the impression in my former post that I thought seizures were an excuse for killing babies.

[pearlshole]

this is a good argument for why some people should not even have children,the child was not wanted and died an unspeakable death

[ggfigure]

It's a shame it's not against the law to be crazy. Society does not deserve the wrath of these animals. Much less they should be allowed to bring new life into the world only to so horribly destroy it. May God have mercy on their souls and the souls of the innocent little ones they so cruelly murdered. Suffering cruelty is not an excuse to inflict it. There IS no excuse for this monstrous behavior.

[phil-in-fin]

Posted by janem4 at 07:01 PM : Nov 28, 2006

"Please let us not hear about how tough her life was. That card is getting real, real old."

Okay ...

How about this ...

She will sue all the companies involved: the one that developed the microwave and brought it onto the market; the one that assembled the microwave; and the one that sold her the microwave.

The reason: no where on her microwave, in easy to understand language, did it warn her that she could not use her microwave as a babysitter.

[gramto7]

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

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 Otte suffered from epilepsy and that her seizures were followed by blackouts.
********
In case any of you do not know, after a person has a seizure, there is a period of time when they are still not back up to par. They are everything from very sleepy to amnesiac. It is called the post-ictal phase. I have seen my ex-son-in-law go through multiple grand mal seizures, and now my little grandson has seizures. Grandson's seizures, for the most part, are focal which means that he will blank out for a few minutes. However he has had one total body (grand mal=tonic-clonic) seizure. The doctors are telling us his next one will probably kill him.

[jane02--2008]

Are you serious, a woman ONLY got 5 years for putting her son in the microwave? I hope they retrial that woman and sentence her to death like she sentence her OWN son to death. Along with this woman.

[kca1636-2009]

There are some things in life I will never understand. The actions of this mother is one of those things.

[akarsno]

I just hope and pray the child soul rest in peace and throughtout this mothers life she would now try to come to terms with what she has done and try to make her life right with some proper help and care if anyone is able to help her.

[akarsno]

Has anyone of you thought that she has had a troubled life and in tha process this is the out come of all of this.
If she was taken care of properly in the first palce i do not think anyone of a sound mind would do such a thing to an innocent child.
She is to blame and she will live the rest of her life for it but ... what made her she is today is also what has happened in the past.
Please do not mistake that I am siding with her, I just want to see it from both points.
She did wrong and that is unforgiveable no matter what but there is also the other part which we all do not know

[elgodsell]

Its sad - where does ones mind go went one is involved in this kind of a situation. These are not the thoughts of a Human Being. What ever the thoughts might have been you can be sure that the courts will NOT let this pass. What bothers me is - She will not get what she probably deserves. The courts only beleive males deserve heavy punishments.

So you can beleive the gal got 5 years for killing her kid. hmmm - This gal might get off for some reason also - lets hope not - She really needs to suffer for awhile - something. What she really needed was help before this all took place. I wonder where her friends and family were.

This is just so sad that a life had to be lost like this - now its to late to save another. She is a threat to the whole world as she stands today. Let us pray that the courts will take good care of her. What ever is handed down - the system - What a terrible place to be.