Woman ordered to trial in scalding death of child

(Wewoka-AP) -- A Seminole County woman is being ordered to stand trial on a murder charge in the scalding death of a 2-year-old.<br><br>Christina Ellen Townsend is charged with first-degree murder and

Wednesday, June 4th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Wewoka-AP) -- A Seminole County woman is being ordered to stand trial on a murder charge in the scalding death of a 2-year-old.

Christina Ellen Townsend is charged with first-degree murder and child abuse in the November death of Hailey Dawn White.

Townsend was baby-sitting while the girl's parents were out of town.

Court documents say the girl had second- and third-degree burns on her chest, back, legs and ankles and bruises on her wrists.

A Tulsa doctor says she believes the girl had her hands tied and was held by her legs under hot, running water.

Townsend told police she filled a bathtub with hot water, then stepped away for a moment. Townsend said she then heard the girl scream and found her standing in the water.

She said she waited ten hours to take the child to a hospital because she didn't think the burns were severe.