Reno woman gets 12 years for child abuse

Saturday, Feb. 12, 2000 | 9:54 a.m.

Melanie Ann Boston was taking care of her boyfriend's 5-year-old son at the residence the couple shared in Reno at the time of the incident in November.

Doctors at Washoe Medical Center called police after the boy's father brought him to the emergency room, police said.

The boy was hospitalized in critical condition and underwent surgery for removal of part of his spleen and pancreas. He since has been released to the custody of his biological mother in Colorado.

During a sentencing hearing before Washoe District Judge Janet J. Berry Friday, the mother testified that her son had only recently overcome his fear of taking a bath.

Boston punished the boy because he defecated in his pants, police said. After he went into hypothermia, Boston allegedly placed him on his bed, still naked and cold, for further punishment, police said.

The boy passed out and fell off the bed onto another child, suffering further head and abdominal injuries.

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