Chapter 15 - Patricia Takes the Stand
Patricia began well.
She described raising Daniel alone.
Working nights.
Losing her husband.
Helping after Lily’s birth.
Cooking.
Laundry.
Night feeds.
All true.
Then:
“I was worried about Emily.”
Also true.
“She cried constantly.”
Not constantly.
But often.
“She seemed overwhelmed.”
Yes.
“I thought Daniel was afraid to admit it.”
Maybe.
Then medication.
Her attorney asked:
“Did you knowingly give your prescription medication to Lily?”
“No.”
“What did you believe you were giving her?”
“Infant soothing drops.”
“How did the wrong substance get into the travel container?”
“I don’t know.”
That answer was weak.
Then:
“Why use a travel container?”
“Convenience.”
No operational detail.
Then:
“Why four nights?”
“I thought it helped.”
Then:
“Did you intend to harm Lily?”
“Never.”
I believed she did not intend severe injury.
Intent to harm and knowing risk are different.
Then the slap.
“I lost my temper.”
“Did you intend Emily to drop Lily?”
“No.”
Likely true.
“Did you tell Emily to lie?”
“I told her not to make everything worse.”
That was not the question.
Then cross-examination.
The prosecutor started with Safety Log.
“You wrote Emily missed feeds?”
“Yes.”
“Who took several of those feeds?”
“I did.”
“You wrote Lily slept unusually long?”
“Yes.”
“Did you tell Emily that was proof she was failing?”
“I expressed concern.”
Then:
“You gave Lily something on those same nights?”
“I gave what I thought were infant drops.”
“Did you tell Emily?”
“No.”
“Daniel?”
“No.”
“Pediatrician?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Patricia paused.
“I didn’t think it mattered.”
Then:
“Yet you thought Lily’s sleep mattered enough to document against Emily.”
Silence.
Then Steven’s email.
He told her not to build a file herself.
Why continue?
“I was protecting my granddaughter.”
Then diary.
Once Emily is out, everything gets easier.
Patricia’s face tightened.
“That was private frustration.”
Then:
“I could stay until kindergarten if needed.”
“Were you planning to remain in your son’s house five years?”
“If they needed me.”
“Did they ask?”
“No.”
Then:
“Emily can visit supervised.”
The courtroom went still.
“What authority did you have to decide that?”
“None.”
Finally.
Then the medication clip.
“One more night. Then Daniel will see.”
“What would he see?”
Patricia started crying.
“That I could calm Lily.”
“And Emily could not?”
“Yes.”
There.
Then:
“Did you want Daniel to ask Emily to leave?”
“I wanted her to rest.”
“Outside her own home?”
“If necessary.”
Then the fall.
“After you slapped Emily and Lily struck the floor, what was the first thing you told Daniel?”
Patricia looked down.
“That she dropped the baby.”
“Why not say you slapped Emily?”
“I panicked.”
“Then you told Emily to say it was an accident.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
Patricia cried.
“Losing my family.”
That was the truth.
Then the prosecutor sat down.
Patricia had spent weeks trying to remove me because she thought I endangered her family.
May you like
The moment her own actions endangered Lily, she chose the same thing she accused me of being incapable of.
Self-protection.
