Mum And Boyfriend Charged After Baby Died In Oven

Racqual Thompson and Cornell Malone have each been charged with four counts of endangering a child.

Both were arrested on Tuesday morning and remain in jail on bonds totalling $36,000.

J'Zyra Thompson was found with severe burns at Thompson's home in Houston last week and attempted to resuscitate her failed.

One of her three-year-old siblings told Child Protective Services (CPS) they put her in the oven, while the other three-year-old made it "hot".

Court records state that the baby was kicking the oven door while inside, ABC News reported.

Thompson told investigators she had left her four children, including a five-year-old, alone in their apartment on 16 November for around 30 minutes while she picked up Malone from work.

Later that night, the pair left the children alone again after putting them to bed to go and get some pizza and visit Malone's brother.

They were gone for around two hours.

The affidavit read: "Mr Malone stated that when they returned and went into the apartment, he could 'smell something burning'."

Thompson and Malone told police they found the three other children crying and pointing to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, the oven had toppled over, with the door face down on the floor, according to the affidavit.

Malone told investigators he "uprighted the 'range'" and then saw J'Zyra lying on the floor. He said she was "obviously burned and deceased".

The oven had apparently been turned on "all the way".

The three surviving children have been taken into CPS custody.

Thompson is currently eight-and-a-half months pregnant. Both are set to appear in court on Monday.