Man Charged With Burning 7-year-old Daughter's Hands As Punishment, Then Letting Family Dog Bite Her

Man charged with burning child then letting dog bite her

Posted at: 10/11/2011 1:21 PM | Updated at: 10/11/2011 9:16 PM
By: Berkeley Brean | WHEC.com


Another alleged crime against a child. This time it's the little girl's father who's charged.

Pedro Cordero is accused of burning his 7 year-old daughter's hands on an electric stove as punishment. He's also accused of commanding one of the family dogs to attack the girl.

The police report says it happened in late September inside the family home on Electric Avenue. There is a "Beware of Dog" sign in the front window.

Police say Pedro Cordero held down the back of his daughter's hands on a burning stove element. Then at some point he put the girl in a room and ordered the family dog to attack her. The court paper says the girl "suffered second degree burns" and "dog bites."

We went to the family home today and when we knocked on the door, Cordero's wife answered it.

Brean: Anything you want to say on his behalf?
Carmen Cordero, Pedro Cordero's wife: Yes he's innocent.

The court paper says cordero is charged with assault and endangering a child.
I went through the allegations with his wife.

Brean: He's accused of taking the child's hands and burning them on the stove.
Carmen Cordero: He didn't do that.
Brean: He didn't do that?
Carmen Cordero: No.
Brean: He's also accused of putting the child in a room with the dog and the dog bit the child. He didn't do that either?
Carmen Cordero: Nope.

The prosecutor on the case is Kristina Karle.

"Anyone who has ever suffered a burn certainly can understand how painful a burn can be. He's alleged to have held her hand on the burner. So I'm sure you can imagine how painful that would be for a child, for an adult, for anybody," she said.

"I've been doing child abuse cases for a long time and it's fair to say that I unfortunately am never surprised to see what people do to our precious children and if the allegations prove to be true then this is just outrageous," Karle said.

Cordero was in city court this morning for a hearing. But the District Attorney's office presented evidence (it's known as certification) that the grand jury voted to indict Cordero on at least one felony charge.

Alan Smithee wrote:... And put that poor child in the care of someone who will give their life to save hers.