Dad on trial for burning son in oven (Daly City, California)

Dad GREGORY DAVID COLVER was another one of those dads who did "caretaking" while Mom worked. I guess somebody forgot to tell him that 17-month-old toddlers don't belong in the oven. You think parenting classes would help?

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=161882&title=Father%20on%20trial%20for%20burning%20son%20in%20oven

Father on trial for burning son in oven

June 28, 2011, 04:05 AM Daily Journal Staff Report


A Daly City father is facing child abuse charges after reportedly dropping his 17-month-old son into a hot oven while teaching the toddler the dangers of banging his hand against its open door.

Gregory David Colver Jr., 20, began jury trial this week on the felony charges stemming from the Dec. 28 incident.

Prosecutors say Colver was caring for his son that night while his girlfriend, the child’s mother, worked. When the woman rushed her son to Seton Hospital with second- and third-degree burns on his legs, Colver reportedly told authorities that, while he slept, the boy had turned on the oven and crawled inside.

Daly City police reported later discovering Colver had turned on the oven to cook a pizza and spotted his son banging his hand against the open door. To teach the child not to touch the hot oven, Colver lifted the squirming boy’s legs into the oven but lost his grip, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

The boy reportedly landed on the oven’s heated coils, burning his legs, and Colver called his girlfriend home from work.

Colver has pleaded not guilty to all charges and remains free from custody on a $100,000 bail bond.

Attorneys begin pretrial motions Tuesday followed by jury selection on Wednesday.

If convicted, he faces approximately nine years in prison, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.