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Sacramento Woman To Stand Trial In Microwave Death Of Baby

SACRAMENTO (CBS / AP) -- A Sacramento woman will stand trial on charges of killing her 7-week-old daughter by placing her in a microwave oven.

Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Eugene Balanon on Tuesday also found enough evidence to support a special allegation that Ka Yang tortured her daughter, Mirabelle.

Prosecutors ruled out the death penalty, but Yang faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.

The 30-year-old mother of four has been held since June after investigators determined her baby died of "extensive thermal injuries." A pathologist testified during Tuesday's hearing that the microwave essentially cooked the child's stomach and small intestine.

The Sacramento Bee reports that Yang's defense attorney, Linda Parisi, suggested that her client might have been affected by a seven-year history of seizures.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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