UPDATE: Mom will be tried for baby's microwave death | Crime

SACRAMENTO, CA - A Sacramento mother accused of burning her baby to death in a microwave will face a jury trial.

Ka Yang, 30, was arrested in the March 2011 death of 2-month-old Mirabelle Thao-Lo.

During the Tuesday hearing in Sacramento County Superior Court, Dr. Gregory Reiber, a forensic pathologist with the Sacramento County Coroner's Office, testified that the child's death was caused by second, third and fourth-degree thermal (burn) injuries.

Police said Yang tortured the child when she placed the infant in the microwave.  Yang was arrested three months after the investigation in her daughter's death.

"I believe, given the state of the law, that there is no evidence really to support that this killing occurred for purposes of inflicting pain," said defense attorney Linda Parisi.

"It's a difficult argument to make because all killing involves pain. When someone dies it is a painful experience regardless of how it happens. So, understanding that the law says if you want to add this additional fact of torture there must be additional evidence to show that the method of killing was purposely to cause pain."

During the hearing, Parisi said Yang suffers from a history of seizure disorders and does not remember the incident.

The court ruled there was sufficient evidence to try Yang.