Lakewood man accused of burning 5-year-old girl

LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- A Lakewood man accused of burning a 5-year-old girl who prayed for him to die has been charged with assault.

The News Tribune in Tacoma reports that Injae Cho, 26, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two counts each of second-degree child assault and fourth-degree assault.

Police arrested Cho on Tuesday after the girl's mother brought her to a hospital and doctors found burns and bruises all over her body.

The mother left the girl with Cho, a relative, for several days while she worked. When she picked her up, Cho said the marks on the girl were spider bites.

But the girl told officials she played a game with Cho and others where they burned her with a lighter or E-cigarette and "she was told to be strong."

Police say Cho admitted to spanking, grabbing and burning the girl because he overheard her praying for him to die. He told detectives he continued burning the girl because she gave him a "creepy look."

Court records show at some point, Cho's mother called the woman to tell her "she should not let Cho watch her daughter."