A mother in the United States is serving a life sentence for the horrific murder of her infant daughter, whom she killed by placing her inside a microwave oven.
A Gruesome Discovery in Dayton
In August 2005, 25-year-old China Arnold arrived at a hospital in Dayton, Ohio, with her four-week-old daughter, Paris. The newborn showed no vital signs. Arnold was heavily intoxicated at the time. Investigators quickly arrested her but were forced to release her due to insufficient evidence.
However, the case took a chilling turn. Prosecutors later alleged that Arnold had placed baby Paris inside a microwave oven at their home following a heated argument with her boyfriend, Terrell Talley, concerning the child's paternity. Fragments of the infant's DNA were found inside the appliance.
The Trial and Unshakeable Evidence
Medical experts concluded that Paris died from extreme overheating, having been exposed to high temperatures inside the microwave for more than two minutes. Her internal temperature was estimated at 42°C. Arnold's former cellmate testified that the mother had confessed, saying she killed the baby because she feared her boyfriend would discover her infidelity and that he was not the biological father.
Arnold was re-arrested in 2006 and faced trial in 2008. Her defence team argued that another person could have been responsible, citing a statement from an eight-year-old boy. This claim was disproven by the boy's mother, who showed the significant distance between their home and Arnold's apartment. The first trial ended in a mistrial due to evidentiary issues.
A second trial proceeded, where Arnold stated her boyfriend was not present when Paris died, effectively making herself the sole suspect. The jury found her guilty of aggravated murder, resulting in a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Appeals and Final Incarceration
Subsequent appeals, which argued that her boyfriend had as much evidence against him, failed to overturn the sentence. Psychologists who assessed Arnold testified she was of average intelligence and showed no signs of serious mental illness beyond mild depression and substance abuse. China Arnold now serves her life term at the Dayton Correctional Institution, having been considered for but ultimately spared the death penalty.
