Four years after the death of a 10-month-old girl at a daycare center in Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval, the trial of an accused responsible for her death began Monday at a Quebec City courthouse.
40-year-old Katy Jomphe, a woman with no criminal record facing a manslaughter charge, has been free since the trials began.
Sitting in the courtroom, he stood up and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
In May 2018, the infant was found unconscious in a home daycare run by the defendant. Police arrested him a year later after learning of expert reports conducted on the investigation.
Evidence of the crown
The Crown prosecutor, Me Michel Bérubé, called his first witness, Sergeant Jimmy Houde, who proceeded with the forensic identification of the victim.
He said he had a bruise about two centimeters on his forehead.
The Crown is trying to show Judge Sandra Rioux that nothing special happened that could be attributed to the baby’s death in the days before her death.
The victim’s aunt and father, whose identities are protected by a publication ban, testified about it.
The aunt, who lives on the same roof as the victim, explained that she had never seen a bruise on her nephew’s forehead before he died at the hospital.
He learns to walk, but he falls to his knees and then to his bottom. I never saw him hit her head againsaid the witness in court.
Aside from a child learning to walk, did anything significant happen before May 1, 2018?giit ni Me Bérubé. No, not as far as I knowhe replied.
The victim’s aunt also insisted that no one had ever abused her nephew.
Meanwhile, the father said his daughter has never had a health problem in her 10 -month life.
Critical evidence
The Crown believes that the defendant’s actions caused the infant’s death, while the defense says this is only speculation.
Prosecutor Bérubé must substantiate his claims beyond a reasonable doubt using circumstantial evidence.
He will try to show the context in which the death occurred in order to establish the connection between the death and the accused. Experts will also testify to the cause of death.
The trial of Katy Jomphe is expected to last four weeks.
Source: Radio-Canada
