Mom admits she inflicted scalding wounds that led to son's death 

By Sam Pazzano

Miguel Fernandes died of burns inflicted by his mother when he bathed him in scalding water. Melissa Alexander will be sentenced for manslaughter in November. (MARK O'NEILL

TORONTO - A North York woman who shopped for a CD while her baby was dying of agonizing burns to almost half of his tiny body finally admitted she accidently inflicted the searing injuries to her child, court heard Wednesday.
Melissa Alexander, 26, who was found guilty of manslaughter in February for the death of 19-month-old Miguel Fernandes on Sept. 11, 2007, made the admission in an interview with psychiatrist Dr. Scott Woodside this year for her sentencing hearing.
Alexander told the doctor she filled a tub with water but never checked the temperature.
“She felt rushed at the time because of her need to do the shopping before Miguel’s father got home,” Woodside wrote in his report filed in court. “Within five seconds, her son “literally yelled.”
She reported taking him out of the basin immediately and noted her son was crying. She reported thinking to herself, ‘Why is he crying...the water’s not that hot,’” Woodside wrote. “However when she felt the water that was still running into the basin and described it as ‘scorching hot.’”
Alexander never realized the severity of the injuries that her son had received, she told the psychiatrist. As a result, she didn’t seek out any additional assistance for him that day.
“Her explanation...does not explain her actions fully at the time (of the crime). It does not explain her lying to family members, paramedics and police...nor would it explain her attempt to lie to this writer regarding asking her neighbour to look after her children when she left the apartment between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. (to go shopping),” Woodside wrote.
He found she suffered from no major mental illness or depression and, intellectually, is of the low average range.
Alexander rose in court to say, “I’m just sorry for the whole incident, just everything.”
Crown attorney Barry Stagg is urging Justice Anne Molloy to impose a 15-year prison sentence while defence lawyer Catherine Currie wants up to two years in custody followed by probation “to help” her troubled client “through this horrible tragedy.”
Molloy will pass sentence on Nov. 8.
The judge found that Alexander left the 19-month-old child home alone, then lied to his father, Sergio Fernandes, about the extent and severity of his burns.
Miguel was possibly screaming in agony for hours when his mother abandoned him and his 29-month-old stepbrother, said Molloy in her judgment.
Miguel went into shock and fell into unconsciousness, before suffering a slow, excruciating death, court heard.