'Microwave baby' mother charged

China Arnold, 26, was charged with aggravated murder on Thursday over the August 2005 death of her month-old baby, Paris Talley.

Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty if she is found guilty.

Ms Arnold's lawyer said his client maintained her innocence and that he was confident about the case.

"So long as we have a jury that will listen to facts and apply the law, China will be ok," John Paul Rion told reporters.

Internal burns

Montgomery County officials investigating the case said the baby had suffered high-heat internal burns but had no external marks.

"The Montgomery County coroner came to the conclusion that the injuries sustained by this baby could have only been caused by being placed into a microwave oven," prosecutor Mathias Heck was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying.

The night before the baby was taken to hospital, Ms Arnold and the child's father went out for a short time and left the child with a baby sitter, Mr Rion said.

The mother did not sense anything out of the ordinary until the next morning, when the child was found unconscious, Mr Rion added.

Police arrested Ms Arnold after she went to the hospital but released her while the investigation continued. She was re-arrested on 27 November, 2006.

Speaking at news conference last week, a Montgomery County coroner's office spokesman said the investigation had been complicated by the lack of research on the effect of microwaves on human beings.