The bruises that peppered 5-month-old Risha J. Lafferty could have been the result of a string of unfortunate accidents.
Or they could have been evidence of long-term abuse - including repeated shaking - that eventually led to her death.
"Shaking was not new to this little girl," Assistant Dist. Atty. Amy McGowan said in court Tuesday.
For the second time this year, jurors are being asked to decide whether Jay D. Decker, 27, is responsible for the child-abuse killing of his daughter, Risha.
Police found Risha near death on the morning of Oct. 14, 2005, at Edgewood Homes, 1600 Haskell Ave. Medical officials pronounced her dead shortly afterward.
Tuesday morning, jurors heard opening statements and the first round of testimony in a trial that stalled last summer.
Judge Paula Martin declared a mistrial in August after a then-unknown police interview surfaced on the last day of testimony.
Brandi Mae Hendrickson testifies in Douglas County District Court about injuries to her daughter Risha J. Lafferty during the trial of Jay D. Decker, 27, who is charged with killing 5-month-old Risha in October 2005 through repeated abuse.
During Tuesday's opening statements, McGowan said Risha's mother, Brandi Mae Hendrickson, would come home from work during the weeks Decker watched Risha between September and October last year and find her daughter with new bumps and bruises.
However, Hendrickson never suspected abuse until it was too late, prosecutors said.
But defense attorneys said Decker was always up front with both Hendrickson and the police when questioned - saying that the bruises happened during several accidents at the house.
The defense also painted Hendrickson as a woman who had more reason to be frustrated with life and raising two children - including being the family breadwinner working a manual labor job at the time Risha was killed.
The trial is scheduled to continue today.
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acg (anonymous) says…
I just can't imagine beating a baby. I want to strangle these two with my bare hands. They don't deserve to be on the planet with the rest of us.
missmagoo (anonymous) says…
When are they charging the mother? She is just as guilty.
justsomewench (anonymous) says…
i'll help, acg.
Confrontation (anonymous) says…
I'm sure Judge Paula Martin will just find a reason to blame the child for this. Martin will claim that Risha played an active role in her death.
Celeste (anonymous) says…
I hope the killer gets what he deserves. Hurting a child is such an alien thought to me, I can't even believe it exists in this world. It makes me sick, literally. I have to believe that justice will prevail. Poor little girl. At least she's in a better place now, and not suffering.
mom_of_three (anonymous) says…
Why does the father, mother, and child all have different last names??
KStater (Kristen Murphy) says…
It's sad that people like them have children and those who are great parents lose their children. Throw them both in jail.
Mom_of_three: Maybe the baby has the mom's maiden name, and the mom is/was re-married?! That would be my guess.
sublime (anonymous) says…
I have two kids of my own.As a parent ,I don't understand how this so called "mother" allowed this to happen.I don't care who it was ,lay one hand on my baby and I would go ballistic............Every time I read these stories it enrages me. Jay Decker is a PUNK!!!!! I would love to put knuckles all over his face.I just hope for his sake ,that we never meet.
bambam (anonymous) says…
Jail and prison isn't good enough for someone who would abuse a child to the point of death or at all for that matter.
God bless Risha
bankboy119 (anonymous) says…
MO3, Decker probably isn't the father.
This is just a sad story that isn't going to have a good ending for anybody.
badger (anonymous) says…
For once, I agree with bankboy. There is no 'good' ending for this story, no possible outcome that's not just adding more tragedy on top of what's already there.
lizzyp13 (E. Hall) says…
Decker is the father. Lafferty is the last name of the maternal grandmother's maiden name. It's just something the mother decided to do. She's weird like that.
givingisfun (anonymous) says…
mom_of_three, having different last names really does not matter. does it?
justsomewench (anonymous) says…
continuity for children is just a sham, giving. you're right.
comgetsom (anonymous) says…
Jay is the Father of Both children the reason there are different names is because Brandi and Jay never got married and the two girls ( the children) have the Lafferty name cause Brandi raised the two girls on her own with familys help but wanted them to have their grandmothers maiden name not some jerks name that wasnt even there for their births......... I just want to say for all the ones that say god bless Risha thank you, she is in a better place although we will all miss here and my heart and prayers go out to the family.... Just how can someone be so mad to take anything out on a baby