Australian man in court after baby put in dryer

SYDNEY - A 13-month-old baby girl who had spilt a drink on herself suffered serious burns and bruising after the man caring for her put her inside a clothes dryer and turned it on, Australian police said today.

A woman in Perth, the capital of Western Australia state, had left her child in her boyfriend's care last week while she went to the gym.

She returned to find the baby with burns and took her to hospital. Doctors then notified police because of the suspicious and unusual nature of the child's injuries.

Police said the child suffered serious burns to both feet and her left hand as well as bruising to her face and back. She was being treated in a Perth hospital and was expected to make a full recovery, they said.

"The injuries are horrific and in my years of being a police officer I have not seen or heard of this type of injury before," police detective Deb Newman told reporters.

A police spokesman said 21-year-old Samuel Marc Barrnes-Siddall appeared in court today on charges of causing bodily harm.

He was to be released on bail of A$5,000 ($5,960) and was ordered to appear again in court in June. He was also told not to contact the child or her mother.

- REUTERS