Mistrial Declared in Case Involving Woman Charged with Microwaving Baby

A Dayton, Ohio judge declared a mistrial in the case involving a woman who has been charged with killing her newborn daughter by placing her in a microwave.

The decision, made by Judge John Kessler, was based on private testimony that seemed to indicate China Arnold was innocent of the charges. It is believed that the new evidence was provided by a juvenile who had been at the apartment on the night the baby died.

Because the evidence came in the latter stages of the trial Kessler ordered a mistrial, noting that had he not allowed the evidence to be submitted it would have resulted in a reversal of any conviction and had he allowed it to be submitted it would not have provided enough time for prosecutors and the defense to review the information.

Arnold is being charged with placing her baby in a microwave and causing fatal burns to the internal organs of the infant. The 27-year-old mother told investigators that she had no idea how her child suffered high-heat internal injuries. A coroner’s official determined the baby must have been placed inside a microwave because there had been no burn marks on the child’s skin.

The trial will now be rescheduled at a later date.

For more Law related stories please go to:

http://news.finditt.com/NewsList.aspx?cat=19&wcat=17