Trial begins for Granby woman accused of killing seven-year-old stepdaughter

TROIS-RIVIERES -

WARNING: This story contains details some may find distressing

The trial of a Granby, Que. woman accused of killing her stepdaughter two years ago opened Monday morning at the Trois-Rivieres courthouse.

The 14 members of the jury heard a frantic 911 call from the apartment where the seven-year-old lived. The caller urged the operator to send an ambulance, and said the girl wasn’t breathing and had no heartbeat.

A paramedic gave the caller instructions on how to give CPR until a police officer eventually arrived and took over, but the little girl was then taken to hospital where she died the following day.

In his opening statement, the prosecutor said the stepmother was charged with second-degree murder and says that she wrapped her stepdaughter in adhesive tape.

The first witness was the first police officer on the scene, who told the court he was surprised by what he saw. The girl was emaciated and had bruises on her legs, thighs, upper body, her arms and hands. Her body was also unusually hot, he said.

The second officer on the scene said she, too, remarked how thin the girl was. The room she was in was dark, the windows were covered, and the furniture was piled up against the wall.

It was macabre, she told the jury, while holding back her tears.

The jury was shown photos of discarded adhesive tape and scissors next to the victim’s body.

The prosecution said it plans to call at least 20 witnesses throughout the trial, which was moved from Granby to Trois-Rivières at the request of the defence.