A Delaware court convicted a prominent pediatrician Thursday, for forcibly holding his stepdaughter's head under a faucet, commonly known as 'waterboarding.'
Prosecutors accused 60-year-old Dr Melvin Morse of preventing his 11-year-old stepdaughter from bathing, suffocating her and keeping her in a room with no access to a bathroom, reportsReuters. Waterboaring is a form of punishment and was previously used on terror suspects by the US investigators.
The Sussex County Superior Court convicted Morse on six of the eight counts that included third-degree assault endangering child welfare and first-degree reckless endangerment. Morse might end up in jail for maximum 10 years.
Prosecutor Melanie Withers said Morse was a brutal and domineering "lord and master" of the house and abused the girl for years, reports the Associated Press. Pauline Morse, the girl's mother and Morse's estranged wife witnessed the abuse but chose to remain silent as she was afraid of "undermining" him. She also said she did not have a close relationship with the girl for years.
Pauline, 41, pleaded guilty last year to misdemeanor endangerment charges and testified against Morse.
The girl, who is now 12, told officials that her step-father, 60, physically abused her, waterboarded her four different times and dragged her across a gravel driveway. But, Morse's lawyers said that the girl and Pauline were making false accusations against him. In fact, the attorneys said that 'waterboarding' was not a punishment but a term jokingly used to describe washing of the girl's hair as she did not like doing it.
The court ordered Morse to give in his passport. He will stay out on bail until his sentencing, scheduled April 11.
Morse did not make any comment about the conviction, his attorneys spoke for him. "He maintains his innocence to this day," said attorney John Brady, reports AP. According to his lead defense attorney, Joseph Hurley, they will appeal the conviction.
Morse is a renowned pediatrician in the country. His research on paranormal science and near-death experiences with children has garnered him much attention across the United States. He has also appeared on the 'Oprah Winfrey Show' and 'Good Morning America.'
