Former Seattle doc accused of waterboarding his daughter
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SEATTLE -- A doctor who spent more than 20 years treating children in the Puget Sound region is now under arrest in Delaware, accused of waterboarding his 11-year-old daughter.
Dr. Melvin Morse was a widely acclaimed pediatrician who built his fame studying "near death experiences" in children.
But according to court documents, his 11-year-old daughter told investigators that at least four times he punished her with what he called "waterboarding" -- holding her face under a running faucet causing the water to shoot up her nose.
The investigation began last month when police say Morse allegedly grabbed the 11-year-old by the ankle and dragged her across their gravel driveway. Morse was later arrested and released after posting bail.
On Monday, police interviewed the 11-year-old who told them that on several occasions her father would hold her face under a running faucet.
Authorities say the girl's mother witnessed some of the incidents and failed to stop them.
Local parent Pamela Alexander says she's now creeped out by the fact that for six years, Morse was her daughter's pediatrician in Renton.
"I felt he was a little eccentric, maybe a little bit strange, but a really good doctor," Alexander said.
In addition to working at the Valley Children's Clinic, Morse also worked at Seattle Children's, and was an Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington. His career took on minor celebrity with his study and books about children's "near death experiences," even appearing on the Larry King Show.
And he recreated emergency room scenes for TV documentaries on the subject of near death experience.
Delaware investigators now say Morse's oldest daughter told them her father said of the water-boarding, "she could go five minutes without brain damage."...but she was "afraid that he would lose track of time and she would die."
Alexander wonders now about the connection between what she considered his "eccentric" interest in near death experience and the current charges.
"I mean he's been interested in near death experience for years and years and so, I wonder how he did his research," Alexander said.
Both Morse and his wife are charged with multiple counts of child endangerment and both their daughters - 11 and 5 - are now in state protective custody.
Morse's ex wife, Alison Morse, said on Thursday she isn't at all surprised about the recent news. The two were married for 20 years, and most of that time was spent in Puget Sound. She said she noticed Morse changing during the last five years of the marriage.
"I just couldn't live with him anymore," she said. "He was just too insane and the thing with the children started escalating and he just started getting so irrational."
Alison Morse said their were times in her marriage she feared for her own children's safety.
"I was like a momma lion when he was trying to pull stuff with my children," she said. "(I would say) 'Have you lost your mind? Are you crazy? You cant treat my children like that.'"
While she wasn't shocked to learn of Morse's recent troubles, Alison said she was devastated by the news.
"He's a sick man and he needs to stay where he can get some help," she said. "I don't think he should be around anybody's kids."
Dr. Melvin Morse was a widely acclaimed pediatrician who built his fame studying "near death experiences" in children.
But according to court documents, his 11-year-old daughter told investigators that at least four times he punished her with what he called "waterboarding" -- holding her face under a running faucet causing the water to shoot up her nose.
The investigation began last month when police say Morse allegedly grabbed the 11-year-old by the ankle and dragged her across their gravel driveway. Morse was later arrested and released after posting bail.
On Monday, police interviewed the 11-year-old who told them that on several occasions her father would hold her face under a running faucet.
Authorities say the girl's mother witnessed some of the incidents and failed to stop them.
Local parent Pamela Alexander says she's now creeped out by the fact that for six years, Morse was her daughter's pediatrician in Renton.
"I felt he was a little eccentric, maybe a little bit strange, but a really good doctor," Alexander said.
In addition to working at the Valley Children's Clinic, Morse also worked at Seattle Children's, and was an Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington. His career took on minor celebrity with his study and books about children's "near death experiences," even appearing on the Larry King Show.
And he recreated emergency room scenes for TV documentaries on the subject of near death experience.
Delaware investigators now say Morse's oldest daughter told them her father said of the water-boarding, "she could go five minutes without brain damage."...but she was "afraid that he would lose track of time and she would die."
Alexander wonders now about the connection between what she considered his "eccentric" interest in near death experience and the current charges.
"I mean he's been interested in near death experience for years and years and so, I wonder how he did his research," Alexander said.
Both Morse and his wife are charged with multiple counts of child endangerment and both their daughters - 11 and 5 - are now in state protective custody.
Morse's ex wife, Alison Morse, said on Thursday she isn't at all surprised about the recent news. The two were married for 20 years, and most of that time was spent in Puget Sound. She said she noticed Morse changing during the last five years of the marriage.
"I just couldn't live with him anymore," she said. "He was just too insane and the thing with the children started escalating and he just started getting so irrational."
Alison Morse said their were times in her marriage she feared for her own children's safety.
"I was like a momma lion when he was trying to pull stuff with my children," she said. "(I would say) 'Have you lost your mind? Are you crazy? You cant treat my children like that.'"
While she wasn't shocked to learn of Morse's recent troubles, Alison said she was devastated by the news.
"He's a sick man and he needs to stay where he can get some help," she said. "I don't think he should be around anybody's kids."
