Mother Placed Child in Hot Oven, Police Say

A young mother accused of putting her 2-year-old daughter in the hot oven of a school cafeteria was charged with assault and child endangerment Thursday, officials said.

Police said Veronica Russell, 25, walked into the kitchen Wednesday and placed the child in the oven. Cafeteria workers rescued the baby and held the mother until police arrived, a detective said. He said Russell had a history of mental illness. The baby was in fair condition with second-degree burns on her back, arms and hands, a hospital spokeswoman said.