Woman charged with burning daughter, locking her in cellar closet

Woman charged with burning daughter, locking her in cellar closet

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (AP) --A woman was charged with beating her 7-year-old adopted daughter with a dog chain and keys, burning her wrists on a stove, dousing her naked body with bleach, then locking the girl inside a closet in a coal cellar with a burning furnace filter, police said.

The girl was apparently not injured by the fire, police said. She was in stable condition at Children's Hospital Tuesday night.

Debra Liberman, 50, was arraigned earlier in the day on charges including assault with a deadly weapon, attempted homicide, and arson with threat of death.

Police said they were called to Liberman's home at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday ET after a neighbor reported screams coming from the residence. Police found Liberman's unharmed 4-year-old son.

Officers then moved a safe blocking a closet door and found the girl inside. Liberman had set fire to a furnace filter and placed it inside the closet with the girl, police said.

The girl told police the alleged abuse had occurred overnight.

Liberman's son is being cared for by another person, whom police didn't identify.

Liberman was jailed on $1 million bail. A preliminary hearing scheduled for February 20.