Benjamin Curcuru, 30, of Port Aransas, and Erica Friesenhahn, 24, face charges related to accusations they abused the toddler last year.
CORPUS CHRISTI A woman testified Friday that she suspected her then-boyfriend was sexually abusing her 2-year-old daughter but didn't want to get in trouble herself for beating the girl.
Benjamin Curcuru, 30, of Port Aransas, and Erica Friesenhahn, 24, face charges related to accusations they abused the toddler last year.
Curcuru is accused of sodomizing the child and is on trial for aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony. Friesenhahn will be tried separately on an injury to a child charge.
Friesenhahn said she once asked Curcuru why her daughter was bleeding from her behind. She said he responded that the girl probably was poking at herself and told her not to worry about it.
Curcuru's attorney proposed Friesenhahn may have had a deal with the prosecution, which she denied.
Friesenhahn, who cried throughout her testimony, said she knew she faced possible prison time but wanted to tell the truth for her daughter's sake.
"I failed her once. I don't want to fail her again. I want to see justice done," she said.
She said Curcuru often spent the night at her apartment and baby-sat her daughter while she worked. He also once took the girl with him to Dallas for a week without her, she said.
While she was dating him, she noticed changes in her daughter. The child began misbehaving, waking up in the middle of the night and no longer was potty-trained.
Out of frustration with her daughter's behavior, Friesenhahn said she lashed out at the child by shoving, pushing and dragging her. She also admitted to pulling the child's hair out.
The child, now 3, has been placed with her biological father.
Curcuru's trial will resume Monday in 319th District Judge Tom Greenwell's court.
Contact Mary Ann Cavazos at 886-3623 or cavazosm@ caller.com
Link to news coverageWARNING - GRAPHIC PICTURES) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8-mvaPgZs[/COLORand:http://www.kristv.com/Global/category.asp?C=28301&nav=menu192_1
CORPUS CHRISTI A woman testified Friday that she suspected her then-boyfriend was sexually abusing her 2-year-old daughter but didn't want to get in trouble herself for beating the girl.
Benjamin Curcuru, 30, of Port Aransas, and Erica Friesenhahn, 24, face charges related to accusations they abused the toddler last year.
Curcuru is accused of sodomizing the child and is on trial for aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony. Friesenhahn will be tried separately on an injury to a child charge.
Friesenhahn said she once asked Curcuru why her daughter was bleeding from her behind. She said he responded that the girl probably was poking at herself and told her not to worry about it.
Curcuru's attorney proposed Friesenhahn may have had a deal with the prosecution, which she denied.
Friesenhahn, who cried throughout her testimony, said she knew she faced possible prison time but wanted to tell the truth for her daughter's sake.
"I failed her once. I don't want to fail her again. I want to see justice done," she said.
She said Curcuru often spent the night at her apartment and baby-sat her daughter while she worked. He also once took the girl with him to Dallas for a week without her, she said.
While she was dating him, she noticed changes in her daughter. The child began misbehaving, waking up in the middle of the night and no longer was potty-trained.
Out of frustration with her daughter's behavior, Friesenhahn said she lashed out at the child by shoving, pushing and dragging her. She also admitted to pulling the child's hair out.
The child, now 3, has been placed with her biological father.
Curcuru's trial will resume Monday in 319th District Judge Tom Greenwell's court.
Contact Mary Ann Cavazos at 886-3623 or cavazosm@ caller.com
Link to news coverageWARNING - GRAPHIC PICTURES) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8-mvaPgZs[/COLORand:http://www.kristv.com/Global/category.asp?C=28301&nav=menu192_1