Another parent murders baby by microwave: 4th known case occurs in Sacramento
Another infanticide death is suspected in the Northern California city of Sacramento. Ka Yang, a 29-year-old mom, was arrested yesterday on two felony counts for the death of her 6-week-old baby girl. Investigators allege that the mom of four put her infant into the family microwave and cooked her baby to death. Yang will appear in court on Thursday. This is the fourth known case of microwaving an infant in the country. Details of the previous three cases are below.
More information on the Yang case available here.
The most recent conviction in a death by microwave case was handed down only last month when an Ohio mom, China Arnold, was found guilty of aggravated murder of her 28-day-old baby. The Huffington Post reports that prosecutors have said Arnold, 31, intentionally put the baby in the microwave after a fight with her boyfriend. The initial incident occurred in 2005 but Arnold faced three trials prior to the conviction in May of this year and has been sentenced to death.
In 1999, Elizabeth Otte, a 19-year-old Virginia mom, was also charged with murder when her infant son was actually found dead in the microwave. The baby was recovered from the household appliance by a family member. The Washington Post reports the defense position held that the mom mistook her baby for a bottle of milk that she was warming in the microwave due to an epileptic disorder. Otte received 5 years for the death, still claiming no memory.