Custodial dad goes on trial for death of 11-year-old daughter (Sarasota, Florida)

We've reported on custodial dad KENNETH STODDARD before. There is a whole back story on how these pieces of crap got custody to begin with, but it's not told here.

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/26407263/autistic-girls-father-goes-on-trial-for-her-death

Autistic girl's father goes on trial for her death

Posted: Aug 29, 2014 5:41 PM EDT
Updated: Aug 29, 2014 5:50 PM EDT
By: Kim Kuizon, FOX 13 News

SARASOTA (FOX 13) - Melissa Stoddard was 11 years old when she went to live with her dad and stepmom in Sarasota. That is when her life took a horrific and deadly turn.

Her stepmother, Misty, is already spending the rest of her life in jail after she was convicted in the death of the little girl who had autism. Now her father is on trial for aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter, and tampering with evidence.

Detective Kim Northfield met with the Stoddards the night the paramedics were called to the home.

Friday, she told jurors that jury Kenneth Stoddard wasn't very cooperative.

"Mr. Stoddard was acting very cautious towards me when I came in. My impression was, if I pulled out my recorder -- and this is based upon years of doing this -- and put it down or opened up a notepad to start writing, Mr. Stoddard would have said, 'Now I would not talk to you.'" she said.

She told the jury his body language spoke for itself.

"He was, like I said, very aggravated -- standing up, walking around, kind of like that all over the place," she continued.

Prosecutors said Kenneth Stoddard and his wife used duct tape to bind Melissa to a board. Bags and bags of it, both in strips and rolls, were shown to the jury.

"I collected a roll of gray duct tape and a wad of duct tape from a drawer in this dresser," said crime scene tech Maxine Miller.

Kenneth Stoddard's stepson also took the stand. While he said his stepfather did help his mother tie Melissa down, when it came to the physical abuse, he pointed the finger at his own mother, Misty Stoddard.

She is already in prison for life.

The trial is on break until Wednesday. It is expected to wrap up by next Friday.