It was the father, not the mother, of a 1-year-old girl who spilled boiling water on the child last month in Aliquippa, causing her death, police said.

Troy Moon was arraigned yesterday on charges of homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of child endangerment.

District Judge C. Douglas Loughner ordered Mr. Moon, 37, held in the Beaver County Jail without bail, pending a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

According to a police affidavit, Mr. Moon and Trinity's mother, Delonda Tucker, had a late-night argument April 18 at their Linmar Terrace apartment. The conflict carried over past midnight into April 19, which was Trinity's first birthday.

Ms. Tucker, 31, said she was preparing pasta to be served the next day at Trinity's birthday party. A pot of boiling water and a tray of food were on the stove at the time.

Trinity, who was using a walker, and her 5-year-old sister, Kemia Stewart, also were present in the kitchen, police said.

To end the argument, the affidavit said, Mr. Moon swiped at the hot pot and food tray, knocking them off the stove.

The water spilled onto Trinity and her mother. The child was taken to Mercy Hospital, where she was pronounced dead April 23 with third-degree burns over about 50 percent of her body, the Allegheny County medical examiner ruled. Kemia was not injured, police said.

Ms. Tucker initially said she had lifted the pot of boiling water from the stove and, as she turned, stumbled over the child, who had wandered behind her in the walker.