Man charged with microwaving baby

GALVESTON, Texas, May 16 (UPI) -- A Galveston, Texas, grand jury convened Wednesday to hear charges against an Arkansas man accused of burning his infant daughter in a microwave.

Prosecutors say Joshua Maudlin, 19, his wife, mother and 2-month-old daughter checked into a Galveston motel last Thursday. While the women were picking up take-out food, Maudlin called 911 to report his daughter had been burned.

Police reports said he told police he had spilled hot water for coffee on the child but investigators suspected otherwise and charged him with causing injury to a child causing serious bodily harm, The Galveston County Daily News reported.

Police Sgt. Annie Almendarez told the newspaper investigators believe the child was in the microwave oven for 10 to 20 seconds, which caused third-degree burns to the left side of her face and left hand.

The child was treated at the Galveston Shriners Burns Hospital, where doctors performed skin grafts on Tuesday, the report said.

Maudlin was being held on $250,000 bond and could be sentenced to 99 years in prison and fined $10,000 if convicted.