Chapter 16 - The Video Nobody Could Explain Away
The defense tried to recover after Patricia’s testimony.
A psychologist testified that Patricia exhibited rigid thinking, anxiety, and a strong rescuer identity.
No psychosis.
No inability to understand right from wrong.
Good.
Stress mitigation.
Not excuse.
Then closing arguments.
Defense:
The prosecution had not proven Patricia intended severe harm.
True.
The prosecutor did not need to for every count.
Defense:
The bottle mix-up could be negligent rather than knowing.
Jury must decide.
Defense:
The slap was impulsive.
Likely.
Defense:
Patricia panicked after accident.
Yes.
Then prosecution:
“This case contains an accident. Lily’s fall was not planned. But the conduct surrounding it was not one accident.”
Four nights.
Secret administration.
Documentation.
Custody questions.
Staged photos.
The slap.
The lie.
Evidence deletion attempt.
Pattern.
Then the prosecutor replayed only one short segment.
Patricia:
“If she thinks you sleep through her feeds, maybe she’ll admit she can’t handle this.”
The prosecutor said:
“She was not treating Lily. She was creating evidence against Emily.”
That line landed.
Then jury deliberated.
Fourteen hours.
Daniel and I sat in separate chairs.
Not because angry.
Habit.
Then he moved his chair closer.
Not touching.
I noticed.
The foreperson returned.
Guilty of felony child endangerment involving administration of a harmful substance.
Guilty of assault against me.
Guilty on a serious child-endangerment/assault count tied to causing the fall through the slap.
Guilty of witness intimidation/coercion related to pressuring me to give a false account.
Guilty of tampering with evidence related to deletion attempts.
Not guilty on the most aggravated count requiring proof Patricia specifically intended to cause Lily severe physical injury.
Good.
The jury did not say she wanted Lily hurt.
They said her choices created the danger and she knowingly manipulated the aftermath.
Patricia closed her eyes.
Daniel cried.
I did not.
Not then.
Then sentencing would be weeks later.
Patricia returned to custody.
Her attorney requested mitigation hearing.
The state prepared victim statements.
Lily was nine months old.
She had no idea a jury had just decided something about her life.
May you like
She was at home with my sister, banging a plastic spoon against a tray.
That was where I wanted her.
