Ohio jury convicts mom in microwaved-baby case

By JAMES HANNAH

Associated Press Writer

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- Detectives looking into the death of a month-old girl didn't at first consider that a microwave oven might have been used.

They knew the baby had been burned but were unsure how. The baby's mother, China Arnold, told investigators she had no idea what happened.

But on Friday, nearly three years to the day since the baby's death, Arnold was convicted of cooking her child in the microwave. The baby's DNA was found inside the microwave in Arnold's apartment, prosecutors said.

Arnold, 28, of Dayton, showed no reaction when the jury's verdict was announced and then lowered her head, looking down at the defense table. Relatives in the courtroom cried and covered their faces with their hands. They later left the courthouse without commenting.

Arnold was found guilty of aggravated murder and could be sentenced to death. The jury was scheduled to return Tuesday to begin a sentencing hearing.

Attorneys on both sides remained under a court order Friday barring them from speaking publicly about the case.

The baby, Paris Tally, died Aug. 30, 2005. Police said it took a long time to investigate the case because it was such an unusual death and because there was little scientific research on the effects of microwaves on humans.

Arnold, the mother of three boys and a former elementary school cheerleader, was eventually arrested 15 months after her daughter died. An earlier trial ended in February when a judge declared a mistrial.

Jurors on Friday dismissed defense arguments that someone else might have been responsible.

Prosecutors said Arnold intentionally put her baby in the microwave oven after a fight with her boyfriend.

Arnold's cellmate testified that Arnold confessed to putting the baby in the microwave and turned it on because she was worried her boyfriend would leave her if he found out the child wasn't his.

Marcella Fierro, a forensic pathologist, testified the girl likely died after being burned in the microwave oven for more than two minutes. Dr. William Matre, who saw the baby at the emergency room, told jurors he was surprised that Arnold seemed not to know the baby was burned because the burns were so obvious.

Defense attorney Jon Paul Rion told the jury that Arnold was probably too drunk that night to have put the infant in the oven. Another forensic pathologist testified that Arnold had a blood-alcohol level of nearly four times the legal driving limit -- a level that would have made it difficult for her to commit the crime.

Rion also argued there was evidence that someone else was responsible. Police targeted Arnold from the beginning and made it their objective to build a case against her, he said.

He cited testimony from an 8-year-old boy who said he saw another boy walk into the kitchen of a nearby apartment with the baby, heard the microwave go on, and then later saw the burned baby in the microwave.

Judge John Kessler declared a mistrial Feb. 11 after he privately heard testimony from the juvenile.

In rebuttal, however, the 8-year-old's mother testified Wednesday that they lived some distance away and they were not at Arnold's apartment complex when the baby died. Her former live-in boyfriend also testified that he was certain the boy was not at the location.