Father on trial for Murder of His Infant Step-daughter
The Crown today closed its case against twenty-six-year-old Everal Martinez, accused of the murder of seventeen-month-old baby Allyssa Nunez. Martinez gave a dock statement, saying he caused no harm to his stepdaughter, and that he loved her like a father loves his daughter. The toddler was allegedly physically and sexually abused in February 2018 and died a painful death five days later on March fourth, 2018 at the K.H.M.H. Five years later, the case is being presented by Crown Counsel Porsha Staine-Ferguson, and after only two days of hearing, the prosecution wrapped up its case after calling twelve witnesses. In his dock statement, Martinez said he left the baby in the care of his two sisters and went to take his girlfriend to the bus station. He said that when he returned home, the baby went to sleep and a few hours later, he noticed she was acting strangely. When he checked her closely, he said he noticed that she was having breathing difficulties, which quickly worsened. Today, Doctor Cecilio Eck, the medical doctor who examined the child when she was admitted with injuries to the K.H.M.H. ward, and Doctor Mario Estradabran, the doctor who performed a post-mortem examination on her body, testified. According to Doctor Eck, the child arrived having seizures, and her right eye was bloodshot and she had bruises over her body. Eck said that all of the toddler’s injuries had been inflicted earlier that day. Doctor Mario Estradabran then took the witness stand and said the baby died from a blocked artery due to massive brain hemorrhage due to head trauma from a blunt force instrument type. The crown and defense are scheduled to provide the judge with their oral and written arguments between April sixth and the twenty-third and Justice Ricardo Sandcroft has reserved ruling for May second.