A waterboarding trial involving a former Delaware Pediatrician resumed Tuesday with a cross-examination of the defendant.

Melvin Morse, 60, is accused of intentionally tormenting his stepdaughter by holding her head underneath a sink faucet.

According to the girl’s younger sister and mother, Pauline, Morse would use hair washing as a form of punishment.

During the cross-examination, Morse refuted their accusations. He testified Tuesday that the 12-year-old girl was adamant to hair washing as she didn’t like the process, so he would assist her in washing her hair.

The Denver Post reported:

“… He would encourage her to rinse it herself. He testified that the routine was for the girl to bathe and dry herself, then come downstairs to the kitchen, where he would hold her head underneath a faucet with a detachable sprayer to rinse out the remaining suds.”

The younger sister asserted that her sister would scream in agony because she didn’t like the feeling of water getting into her eyes and ears.

Morse added in his testimony that although his stepdaughter is a very smart and talented girl, she also struggles with behavioral issues.

Morse admitted that he found himself “insensitive to her feelings” at times because of her lack of cooperation. For instance, one episode allegedly involved the girl being violently dragged across the pavement of a driveway.

“I’m not proud of it…. I’m certainly not a perfect person,” Morse said in reference to his abusive actions.

Oddly enough, Morse is a self-acclaimed author specializing in cases of children near-death experiences.

Police investigators assume that Morse may have used his stepdaughter as a guinea pig for one of his studies, but he has denied the claims.

Morse was initially charged in 2012 with endangerment and assault. He faces more than 20 years in prison if found guilty.

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