Witness in Ohio trial say boy wasn’t there

The boy’s mother has changed her story about where the boy was.

DAYTON (AP) — Relatives testified Wednesday that a boy who says he witnessed acts that led to the death of a baby in a microwave oven was not at the apartment complex where the child died.

Prosecutors called numerous rebuttal witnesses to try to undermine the credibility of the 8-year-old boy who says he saw another boy carry the baby into a kitchen, heard the microwave go on and then later saw the body in the oven.

The boy was a witness in the retrial of the baby’s mother, and his testimony earlier led to a mistrial.

China Arnold, 28, is accused of using a microwave to kill month-old Paris Talley in 2005. She is charged with aggravated murder and could face the death penalty if convicted.

The mother of the 8-year-old boy testified Wednesday that she and her son lived at a different apartment some distance away and that neither were at Arnold’s apartment complex when the baby died. Her former live-in boyfriend testified that he was certain the boy was not at Arnold’s apartment complex.

Under cross-examination by defense attorney Kevin Lennen, the woman acknowledged that she first told police her son was with her at the time, then said she was “pretty sure” he was with her and finally that she didn’t remember. However, she said she was certain he wasn’t at Arnold’s apartment complex.

Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Mary Wiseman scheduled closing arguments for today and told the jury to prepare to be sequestered.

A judge declared a mistrial Feb. 11 after he privately heard testimony from the 8-year-old boy just before closing arguments.