Murder trial begins in death of 2-year-old boy (Chatham, North Carolina)

There is A LOT that is not told here. Notice that the father is UNNAMED, and apparently is taking no responsibility for leaving this 2-year-old boy in his girlfriend's care. Did UNNAMED DAD have custody, visitation, what? Why did he dump primary care on his girlfriend? Had this been a mom who left her child with a boyfriend, chances are better than not that she would be charged with child neglect for failure to protect her child. And speaking of the mother, she is unmentioned as well. Why?

http://www2.godanriver.com/news/2011/jul/25/killing-2-year-old-boy-goes-trial-pittsylvania-cou-ar-1195477/

Murder trial begins in death of Pittsylvania childBy Tara Bozick
Published: July 25, 2011

CHATHAM --
Nearly two years ago, a 2-year-old boy died after sustaining serious injuries while in the care of his father’s then-girlfriend.

The babysitter, Stephanie Renee Scates, 36, maintains Tyler Dieon McCoy’s death resulted from an accidental fall down the steps of her home in the Mount Cross community on Oct. 4, 2009.

For investigators and prosecutors, that story doesn’t fit Tyler’s injuries, which they say are more akin to getting in a motorcycle wreck.

Scates was arrested and charged with first-degree murder last year.

On Monday, Scates pleaded not guilty, and a 12-member jury began to hear the evidence in a packed courtroom in Pittsylvania County Circuit Court.

Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Haskins told the courtroom during opening statements that he plans to show that Tyler’s 25 head injuries don’t fit with a fall, and that Scates beat the child repeatedly and tried to cover it up.

Defense Attorney Glenn Berger acknowledged that loss of any life is tragic — and the loss of a child is intensified. In fact, the evidence will show how Scates, a former Danville Regional Medical Center nurse whose background and reputation is untarnished, tried to save the child’s life, he said.

“There is no direct evidence against her,” Scates said. “There is no scientific evidence against her. There is no witness against her.”

Dr. Christena Roberts, a forensic pathologist in the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke, took the stand Monday. Her autopsy report showed Tyler suffered a partial fracture at the base of his skull. She said she had California neuropathologist (brain expert) Dr. Bennet Omalu examine Tyler’s brain and eyes.

Omalu found evidence of severe brain trauma, bleeding and swelling, he told jurors. The multiple brain injuries were all acute, meaning they happened 34 minutes to three hours to the time of death, he said.

The energy needed to cause Tyler’s injuries were equivalent to the amount of energy from a motorcycle crash at about 50 mph and not from a home environment, Omalu testified.

The fracture and the “multiplicity” of the injuries, like several hemorrhages, also led Omalu to believe Tyler didn’t take just one hit.

“It tells you that Tyler received impacts to the back of his head, and there were multiple impacts,” Omalu said.

Berger asked how much Omalu was being paid. He said $5,000 for accommodations, travel and expert testimony. Omalu agreed all medical opinions have a degree of uncertainty, but that he was 95 percent medically certain in this case.

The courtroom was packed with supporters of Scates and about 20 friends and family members of Tyler.

Wendy Marable of Pittsylvania County believes the trial will get to the bottom of what happened to Tyler, an energetic and playful boy nicknamed “Doodlebug” by his dad, and then who became “everybody’s Doodlebug.” Meeting Tyler in the neighborhood was how Wendy got to know the family.

“If I could get him back I would,” Marable said. “So it’s all we could do try to try to get justice for him.”

Now, she always makes sure to say “I love you” to her child.

“It’s really been hard losing Tyler,” she said, tears streaming down her face on the courthouse steps.

The trial continues at 9 a.m. Tuesday, beginning with the prosecution’s witnesses.