Seven-year-old son testifies against dad charged with murder of 2-year-old (Norman, Oklahoma)

Fathers rights people often make a big to-do distinction between Mom's Evil Boyfriend and the poor, put-upon biological daddy who is cut-off from his kids. It's often a false distinction. Yes, DONALD REESER had on his "boyfriend hat" when he "allegedly" murdered his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter by drowning her in a lake. But it appears this charming fellow did so in front of his then 5-year-old biological son. So much for lack of access.

http://newsok.com/boy-testifies-in-fathers-trial/article/3522033

Boy, 7, testifies in dad’s trial about girl’s drowning at Lake Stanley Draper
A 7-year-old boy whose father is charged with murder in the drowning death of a 2-year-old girl testified Wednesday he saw his dad dunk the girl under water.

BY JANE GLENN CANNON Oklahoman
Published: December 9, 2010

NORMAN — A 7-year-old boy whose father is charged with first-degree murder in the drowning death of a 2-year-old girl testified Wednesday he saw his dad pull the girl into the water and dunk her twice.

However, Brady Reeser, who was 5 when the toddler drowned, later contradicted himself when he told a defense attorney he never actually saw Allie Croom go under water.

The child’s testimony came on the first day of a Cleveland County jury trial for Donald Reeser, 30, of Midwest City, who is accused of causing the death of Allie by repeatedly dunking her in Lake Stanley Draper while on an outing June 18, 2009, with his ex-girlfriend, her two children and his son.

Brady repeatedly responded “I can’t remember” to questions from both the prosecutor and defense attorney about details of the event that led to the child’s death.

The boy testified the family left quickly after his father dunked the girl and that in the car his father “hurried to get her to the hospital” because she began coughing up water and blood.

The 7-year-old said he couldn’t remember if Allie walked to the car or was carried or if anyone besides his father dunked her in the water.

He said he remembered her getting into trouble once and being put “in time out” on some rocks.

The dunking incident happened after that, he said.

Amber Croom, Allie’s mother, testified that at one point she left to go to the car with her other daughter, Ari, who was 3. When she returned to the beach, she said, “I could tell something was wrong with Allie.”

The mother said Reeser carried the child to the car and they began driving toward a Midwest City hospital when Allie began vomiting water and blood. She testified she tried performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation but couldn’t save her.

Croom testified her daughter had fallen in the water once earlier in the outing, landing facedown. She said Allie’s face was in the water eight to 10 seconds before she could get to her to pick her up.

Afterward, she said, the child seemed a little sleepy but otherwise appeared to be fine.

The mother testified she initially told investigators she never left her daughter alone with Reeser because she didn’t believe he had done anything to hurt her, and because she didn’t want him to get into trouble.

Croom said she became so depressed after her daughter’s death that she checked into a crisis center. After being released, she told police about leaving her daughter alone with Reeser. Over time, she said she came to believe Reeser did something to cause the 2-year-old’s death.

Read more: http://newsok.com/boy-7-testifies-in-dads-trial-about-girls-drowning-at-lake-stanley-draper/article/3522033#ixzz17dHL2yyk