VISTA, Calif. -- A young woman accused of deliberately trying to poison her son by mixing household cleaners with the toddler's apple juice must stand trial on charges of aggravated mayhem, poisoning and child abuse, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Christina Noel Howell, a 22-year-old mother of two, faces life imprisonment if convicted, said Deputy District Attorney Keith Watanabe.

After a 1 1/2-day preliminary hearing, Vista Judge Timothy Casserly found that enough evidence had been presented to order Howell to stand trial. He set a July 9 trial date, and a March 2 readiness conference.

Casserly also increased Howell's bail from $300,000 to $500,000, based on the newly added aggravated mayhem charge, Watanabe said.

The prosecutor alleged that Howell poisoned her son -- who was 22 months old at the time -- possibly to get the attention of the child's father, Christopher Daly.

Daly, a tow truck driver, testified he was at work when the child took ill last May 25.

The toddler was airlifted from the family's home in Warner Springs to Rady Children's Hospital for what was believed to be an accidental ingestion of Tilex brand mold and mildew remover.

The boy suffered caustic chemical burns to his throat and stomach and first-degree burns to his face, Watanabe said.

Howell told hospital officials that her son, Christian, drank the entire 32-ounce bottle of Tilex cleaner and said the child must have unscrewed the cap, according to the prosecutor.

The toddler was released from the hospital the next day, but on May 28, he was again flown to the hospital for severe vomiting, altered consciousness and seizures due to the ingestion of Drana, a liquid clog remover.

According to doctors, the child suffered severe chemical burns to his throat, esophagus and stomach.

Last June 19, detectives found several empty bottles of household cleaners and clothes stained with with red vomit in Howell's home.

At the time, she allegedly told detectives that she poured cleaner into one of Christian's sipper cups for the purpose of using a toothbrush to clean the toilet and must have forgotten to wash the cup before serving him apple juice in the same cup.

The defendant later admitted to giving the boy laced apple juice on purpose and stated that maybe she would get more attention from her fiance if Christian was ill, Watanabe alleged.

According to hospital records, Howell's younger, 8-month-old child was taken to San Diego hospitals on 13 occasions, usually for vomiting and diarrhea.