GUILTY GA - Laila Daniel, 2, beaten to death, McDonough, 17 Nov 2015 *foster parents arrested*

[Josephine9]

Oh my

 

[Tortoise]

Thank you Tortoise! I like the sense of justice and the way people treat each other here in the forum.
My god, such a short time and so many injuries. And yet every day was too much for these kids with this couple. It seems to me that Laila was more tormented because she could not express herself at the age of two, as her sister said:... only cry... I´m so sad and angry.

It's a great forum. I've been surprised that there aren't a lot more people following the trial and commenting here on Laila and Millie's thread.

I thought the testimony from the psychotherapist yesterday was especially interesting, because I had been a little concerned about the defense discrediting Millie and claiming she was coached, and dishonest by nature. She didn't disclose in the initial days right after Laila's death, and then she started disclosing after she had been in the company of her relatives and seen some news items, and when she testified she didn't answer questions a lot of the time.

The psychotherapist put those concerns to rest and explained it so it all made complete sense. Particularly having to face her abusers in court would have been extremely difficult for her. What a remarkable and brave little girl she is. Storing and accessing traumatic memories is another complex process that requires taking into consideration. She showed herself to not be suggestible when she had her younger interviews because she corrected them when they got something wrong.

I'm glad the prosecution had someone explain it so well and cover all of that.

 

[Josephine9]

Yes Tortoise, I too would be glad if more people would participate. Interesting your thoughts about the statement of the psychotherapist, she seemed very competent and Millie, this little girl is so brave, I'm very proud of her. Have worked with children and I believe this little girl 100%. .As Millie told: Beat by hand, with a belt. Let alone very tiny children, and this couple knew that they did not have a good life. This alone is aggressively sadistic.

 

[Josephine9]

DFCS report reveals new details in child's death
From this artikel:
Rosenbaum said she knew the girls’ mother from childhood.
And I hope the prosecution puts this on the table: Rosenbaum told DFCS workers that she “never bathed Laila and was not aware of her having any marks or bruises.”

Come on, how believable is this?
IF that is true, then dear Mr. Rosenbaum will have bathed the little ones. Young children are often bathed. And the caring Mrs. Rosenbaum never helped them to change clothes?

 

[Gardenista]

Really curious as to the defense for this case. If the defense attorneys are not court appointed, I can see them having some big gun experts that could blow the state's experts out of the water.

 

[Josephine9]

Yes, and they have the same defender.
I think, they'll dig up an expert who questions the timing of the injuries, so they can blame someone else.

 

[Tortoise]

DFCS report reveals new details in child's death
From this artikel:
Rosenbaum said she knew the girls’ mother from childhood.
And I hope the prosecution puts this on the table: Rosenbaum told DFCS workers that she “never bathed Laila and was not aware of her having any marks or bruises.”

Come on, how believable is this?
IF that is true, then dear Mr. Rosenbaum will have bathed the little ones. Young children are often bathed. And the caring Mrs. Rosenbaum never helped them to change clothes?

Jennifer Rosenbaum and Tessa Daniel were in foster care together when they were teenagers. I haven't watched all the trial testimony yet but in opening speech the prosecutor said that they were not friends after there was a falling out over a boy.

It seems to me that this was an old grudge but that doesn't explain how someone can abuse children.

Millie did explain which parent bathed which child but I can't remember off the top of my head. I think it was Joseph bathed Millie and Jennifer bathed Laila.

I know Joseph was putting Icy Hot cream on Millie's bruises and her fractured elbow. They have the empty tube in evidence and Millie described it by its smell and the hot and cold effect it had on her skin. And in his statement Joseph said he took Laila to the potty on the day of her death. He would have seen her injuries.

 

[Josephine9]

Thanx Tortoise. Absolutely, just completely unbelievable. One can only hope that parents are on the jury. But even common sense tells you that.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Foster parents trial: Child abuse doctor says girls’ injuries prove physical abuse

 

[Josephine9]

Foster parents trial: Child abuse doctor says girls’ injuries prove physical abuse

Oh no!

“All (Laila) did was cry because she didn’t know how to speak,” Millie, told detectives at the time.

 

[ThaCrysCat]

I am also a newb... I was originally following the Lizzy Shelley case, but residing in Georgia I was only recently made aware of this case. I dont know why i torture myself following these cases aside from having a huge aching heart and wanting to believe the kids didnt suffer.. or just wanting to know that the ones that have suffered didnt suffer long. This does not appear to be the case with Laila and my heart is breaking so much right now.

Watching the videos of the trial I will say the most moving testimony is that of the prior foster parents. you can see the moment they break down is when the prosecution shows them pictures of what i assume are pictures of Laila during autopsy. "during your care did you ever see these marks on Laila?", and as each one turns around to look at the picture they immediately break down. just heartbreaking for any of those attached to this case.

 

[Josephine9]

Welcome ThaCrysCat! Now we are already two new ones.
Yes, it's heartbreaking. I think this is well understood in this forum.
I do not know the video yet.

 

[Melissa1967]

I'm just now starting the youtube for today's testimony. The state has rested? If so, their final two witnesses were knock it out of the park. I don't know if there could be any coming back from what was revealed in the autopsy, and the therapist's explanation of how children behave after abuse...

 

[ThaCrysCat]

Welcome ThaCrysCat! Now we are already two new ones.
Yes, it's heartbreaking. I think this is well understood in this forum.
I do not know the video yet.

Edit: where are my manners! thank you for welcoming me Josephine9!

this was the testimony from two of the prior foster parents, very moving:
Rosenbaum Trial Day 2 Cynthia Tate, Tiffany Shaw & Dr John Potts - Pediatrician 07/11/19

the pediatrician, though not brought to tears, appeared to be troubled when he was asked to view the photos.

 

[Josephine9]

I'm just now starting the youtube for today's testimony. The state has rested? If so, their final two witnesses were knock it out of the park. I don't know if there could be any coming back from what was revealed in the autopsy, and the therapist's explanation of how children behave after abuse...

Yes, state has rested, but I'm not that familiar with the procedure. Have already seen witnesses for the defense. Who are those final witnesses for the state?

 

[Josephine9]

All fine ThaCrysCat. And thank you for the video!

 

[Tortoise]

Defense has spent a whole day with a stream of witnesses who saw the girls after they were fostered and reported they looked happy and loved and they never saw any cuts and bruises. Prosecution countered each with questions like 'would you expect an abuser to abuse the child in public?' - No, 'if you'd seen these injuries [photos exhibited] would you have reported it as suspected child abuse?' - Yes.

All witnesses seem very shocked and upset to see the photos.

Joseph's mother took the stand to praise Jennifer and Joseph to the hilt and said she will never believe they did this. She did seem a bit more uncertain by the end however when she saw the photos and was told about the lies that Jennifer told to doctors. She was crying throughout most of her testimony. She said she would NOT expect Joseph to tell her if he was involved in abusing the girls, but she would expect him to tell her if it was Jennifer doing it.

They called a nurse who examined Millie in 2017 [two years after Laila's death] with a suspected sprained ankle which turned out to be a fracture, when she was in the care of Peggy Banks. They were trying to make the point that Peggy wasn't arrested for child abuse because she didn't take Mille for an x-ray for 3 days, and the Rosenbaums are being treated differently by LE. Turns out on cross-examination by the state that Peggy was following the advice of the nurse to have Millie wear a splint and see if it improved, and the nurse said a fractured ankle is not suspicious for child abuse.

I think their biggest witness (going by defense opening speech) will be the expert who will testify about the one case where a child had a split pancreas as a result of the Heimlich Maneuver. It is the only reported case in the world. He survived after an operation. This was discussed by the pathologist during her testimony. I'm not sure what else there is going to be to say about it.

 

[Jewels53]

Day 10

 

[Tortoise]

I forgot to mention the DCFS worker they called to testify about concerns carers had at one stage about Millie telling lies. What's written in the report is that she told "whoppers".

Prosecution elicited that these "whoppers" were saying she had brushed her teeth when she hadn't, and that she had put her socks on when she hadn't. Nothing to do with the matter of the Rosenbaums.

I've just now heard they've finished for the day and the defense is planning to rest middle of Thursday. So one and half more days of witnesses.

 

[Tortoise]

Another forgot to mention...it was Jennifer Rosenbaum's birthday on the day Laila died. I thought I heard that in her police interview but I wasn't quite sure who she was talking about, but Joseph's mother confirmed it in her testimony today.