Still Missing CA - Classic (Orson West, 3) & Cincere (Orrin West, 4) Calif. City, *parents charged* 21 Dec 2020 #7

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 2
DAY FIVE - April 11, 2023
https://twitter.com/bakersfieldnow

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s Mother is at the witness stand. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She gave a testimony through an interpreter. She said she lived in Casa Loma Apartments, in a building next to Trezell and Jacqueline, when the Wests lived in Bakersfield. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She said she rarely visited them when they were all at that apartment, because they were each busy with their kids. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She said in 2019 and 2020 she didn't watch Trezell and Jacqueline's kids. She didn't know they were moving to California City until they already bought it. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She says she went to the West’s California City home once, October 10, 2020. She dropped off plants outside and then left. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She said she did not go in the home or see any children at the home on that day, October 10, 2020. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-When she would talk to Jacqueline she would not talk to the West’s sons. Maria said Jacqueline wouldn’t show them. She said it was weird. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-One day in early December, 2020 Jacqueline, Trezell and the boys stopped by her apartment to say hi and then left. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-In Dec, 2020 Trezell dropped Jacqueline off at her Mom’s, for Jacqueline to be with her on Jacqueline’s birthday. Maria didn’t go outside and didn’t see Trezell or the kids. #Westtrial

Court is adjourned for the day. Back tomorrow at 9:30AM. Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s Mother will be back at the stand. #Westtrial

 

[PommyMommy]

APRIL 11, 2023

West Trial: ‘She just seemed neutral,’ officer says of Jacqueline West

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — In speaking with Jacqueline West shortly after she reported two of her children missing, then-Lt. Jesse Hightower noticed something off about her demeanor. It&#82…

www.kget.com

In speaking with Jacqueline West shortly after she reported two of her children missing, then-Lt. Jesse Hightower noticed something off about her demeanor.

It’s not what she showed, Hightower said, but what she didn’t show. Her adopted sons Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3, were missing from her California City home yet there was no indication of frustration, anxiety or anger, he said.

“She just seemed neutral,” Hightower said Tuesday, the fifth day of trial for Jacqueline West and her husband, Trezell West, on charges including murder in the deaths of Orrin and Orson.

[...]

During Hightower’s cross-examination, Jacqueline West attorney Alekxia Torres Stallings focused, as she has with other California City officers, on issues with the department’s body-worn cameras and officers’ failure to write reports documenting actions taken during the investigation. Hightower is at least the third officer in the department who admitted failing to write reports. He was the incident commander the night the boys were reported missing.

Hightower testified the body-worn cameras used at the time had glitches in which they would turn on or off at random and sometimes listed the wrong date and time.

[...]

 

[Seattle1]

It’s not what she showed, Hightower said, but what she didn’t show. Her adopted sons Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3, were missing from her California City home yet there was no indication of frustration, anxiety or anger, he said.

“She just seemed neutral,” Hightower said Tuesday, the fifth day of trial for Jacqueline West and her husband, Trezell West, on charges including murder in the deaths of Orrin and Orson.

^^rsbm

We are hearing similar testimony by LE regarding stepmom Letecia Stauch when her 11 yr old stepson, Gannon, allegedly failed to come home from a friend's house by dinner time. In this case, she called the non-emergency number and reported the missing child as a runaway. And could not name the friend the child went to visit.

 

[Knox]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 2
DAY FIVE - April 11, 2023
https://twitter.com/bakersfieldnow

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s Mother is at the witness stand. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She gave a testimony through an interpreter. She said she lived in Casa Loma Apartments, in a building next to Trezell and Jacqueline, when the Wests lived in Bakersfield. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She said she rarely visited them when they were all at that apartment, because they were each busy with their kids. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She said in 2019 and 2020 she didn't watch Trezell and Jacqueline's kids. She didn't know they were moving to California City until they already bought it. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She says she went to the West’s California City home once, October 10, 2020. She dropped off plants outside and then left. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She said she did not go in the home or see any children at the home on that day, October 10, 2020. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-When she would talk to Jacqueline she would not talk to the West’s sons. Maria said Jacqueline wouldn’t show them. She said it was weird. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-One day in early December, 2020 Jacqueline, Trezell and the boys stopped by her apartment to say hi and then left. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-In Dec, 2020 Trezell dropped Jacqueline off at her Mom’s, for Jacqueline to be with her on Jacqueline’s birthday. Maria didn’t go outside and didn’t see Trezell or the kids. #Westtrial

Court is adjourned for the day. Back tomorrow at 9:30AM. Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s Mother will be back at the stand. #Westtrial

I say this respectfully, not knowing what the family dynamics are - but that appears to be one disengaged Grandma? Or maybe she was kept at arms length perhaps, MOO. I'll be interested in hearing what direction this goes tomorrow. If you have Facebook, search AVNews Crew ...

 

[Knox]

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https://twitter.com/KGETnews/status/1645920968727212032

Click on the last link to open the full stream, it has some information Pommy's link didn't cover (Thank you Pommy).

 

[Seattle1]

I say this respectfully, not knowing what the family dynamics are - but that appears to be one disengaged Grandma? Or maybe she was kept at arms length perhaps, MOO. I'll be interested in hearing what direction this goes tomorrow. If you have Facebook, search AVNews Crew ...

Appears that she's testifying with an interpreter. I don't think English is her first language and maybe she could not communicate with the grandkids. But doesn't sound like the mother-daughter communication was all that great either. Stranger that under these circumstances, they were neighbors. JMO

 

[PommyMommy]

Here's KGET, @Knox - the beginning, anyway. Give me a sec and I'll grab the rest.

Morning Testimony, Part 1
DAY FIVE - April 11, 2023

https://twitter.com/KGETnews

The trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West -- charged with murder in the deaths of adopted sons Orrin and Orson West -- has resumed with California City Police Chief Jesse Hightower back on the stand. #WestsTrial

Prosecutor Eric Smith is playing body worn camera footage from Hightower from the night the boys were reported missing on Dec. 21, 2020. Hightowere was a lieutenant then and was in charge of the search. #WestsTrial

The video so far shows a flashlight being shown in a lot filled with brush and dirt. It's pitch black out. #WestsTrial

The bodies of Orrin and Orson have never been found. The Wests have pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintain the boys went missing. Prosecutors have said the children died 3 months before the Wests reported them missing. #WestsTrial

Prosecutor Eric Smith said he just realized the video was muted. He is replaying a portion of it. #WestsTrial

Hightower in the video tells a couple people he's looking for two young children. He's also looking for camera systems on homes. #WestsTrial

The first clip ended. Hightower testified he was west of the Wests' home in that video. #WestsTrial

Smith has begun playing the second clip. #WestsTrial

Hightower knocks on a door and asks if he can look into an access window to see if the missing children are there. The homeowner says he has no problem with that. Hightower takes a look thens tands back up and continues walking in the yard. #WestsTrial

The second clips has ended. #WestsTrial

Hightower has identified the residence where he knocked on the door. There was no surveillance equipment on it, he said. #WestsTrial

Smith is playing the third and last video. In it Jacqueline West can be heard yelling "Orson" and "Orrin" as Hightower searches her home with her. #WestsTrial

Hightower asks Jacqueline her birth date, phone number, how long she has lived there and what the children were wearing. #WestsTrial

"Make sure that you check every little thing that you can, okay?" Hightower says to another officer in the home. #WestsTrial

Trezell comes in and asks if anything's been found. He answers some questions about the boys' description. Trezell laughs when talking about how Orson, who's younger, weighs more than Orrin. #WestsTrial

Trezell tells the officers how he was gathering wood when the boys went missing. Hightower goes outside, leaving the other officer with the Wests. #WestsTrial

Hightower radios the boys' description and what the Wests said they were wearing. #WestsTrial

The clip has ended. #WestsTrial

Smith is questioning Hightower, who is describing where he looked in the Wests' backyard. #WestsTrial

Hightower said the backyard had two exit points. There was a wooden gate and a heavy swinging metal gate. The metal gate was closed when he arrived. #WestsTrial

Hightower testified he looked in the Wests' van then for shoetracks or tire tracks, anything to follow in a dirt lot next to the house. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he didn't see tracks or anything that would lead him to believe anyone had been in the lot. #WestsTrial

Smith, the prosecutor, is going to play an audio recording for the jury. Transcripts are being handed out to jurors. #WestsTrial

Multiple short audio recordings are being played, beginning with Hightower giving descriptions of the boys. #WestsTrial

Hightower in the recordings is communicating with other officers, asking for resources, giving updates on the search for surveillance cameras in the area. #WestsTrial

Smith has finished playing the audio clips and resumed questioning of Hightower. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he requested K-9 tracking dogs from the county to look for scent. In a recording an officer says the dogs haven't found anything. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he directed another officer to interview the other children, who were at the home of Wanda West in Bakersfield. #WestsTrial

Hightower said there was a concrete slab just outside the back door of the California City home with some chalk drawings on it. He said he saw no small footprints in the dirt. #WestsTrial

Asked about Jacqueline West's demeanor, Hightower said he noticed what wasn't there -- no frustration, no anxiety, no anger. #WestsTrial

"She just seemed neutral," Hightower said. #WestsTrial

There were differences in the clothing descriptions of the boys that were sent out over the radio compared to what the Wests told him, Hightower said. #WestsTrial

The metal gate in the backyard was "heavy and difficult to open," Hightower said. The implication is a young child wouldn't have been able to open it. #WestsTrial

Smith has displayed a photo of the metal gate on the east side of the West home. #WestsTrial

Smith followed that by playing a video of an officer opening the gate. It scrapes along the ground -- there is a slight groove mark in the concrete -- and appears to take some force to move. #WestsTrial

Court is in recess for 15 minutes. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Morning Testimony, Part 2
DAY FIVE - April 11, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Court is back in session. Judge Charles R. Brehmer reminded the jury there will be a jury view next Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday. #WestsTrial

Cal City Police Chief Jesse Hightower is back on the stand. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he received information after the Wests' other children were interviewed that changed the course of the investigation. He said they gathered more information and began writing search warrants. #WestsTrial

Warrants were authored for the West home and van. #WestsTrial

The FBI was contacted. Hightower said he provided them with information and later requested assistance. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he requested a forensic dig team from the FBI. Nothing was located in the Wests' backyard. #WestsTrial

Computers and cellphones were seized from the Wests, Hightower said. They were given to the FBI for analysis. #WestsTrial

They were looking for images, data and GPS information, Hightower said. #WestsTrial

Prosecutor Eric Smith has displayed a photo of an officer with a shovel in the Wests' backyard. They were about to dig to look for the children, Hightower said. #WestsTrial

BPD also assisted with the investigation, Hightower said, based on the information Cal City police had received. #WestsTrial

Cal City PD was the primary investigative agency until March 2021, when BPD became the lead agency, Hightower said. #WestsTrial

The FBI was only involved for a month or two, he said. #WestsTrial

Smith has finished questioning Hightower and Alekxia Torres Stallings, defense attorney for Jacqueline West, has begun cross-examination. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is asking about issues with the California City Police Department's body-worn cameras at the time the boys were reported missing. They would turn on and off on their own, dates and times would be wrong. #WestsTrial

Hightower said officers should watch their body-worn camera footage before testifying, and when writing their reports. Two officers during the trial have testified they didn't write reports in the case, and yesterday one said he never viewed his footage. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he didn't review his body-worn camera footage before testifying at an earlier hearing. #WestsTrial

Hightower testified he never wrote a report during the investigation. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is going over a call log from the search and asking Hightower to identify volunteers referred to on the log. There are two volunteers listed. Hightower said there were 5 officers, 2 volunteers and 1 other person present. #WestsTrial

Volunteers had taken classes to be able to assist the department but did not have the power to arrest anyone, Hightower said. #WestsTrial

Hightower said the 2 volunteers were told to write down which residences they went to. He doesn't know if the notes were written or given to an officer. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he asked Jacqueline West if she closed the gate in the backyard, but that interaction wasn't captured on his body camera. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is attempting to point out discrepancies from the time listed on Hightower's body camera footage to what the actual time was. #WestsTrial

A man Hightower spoke with that night had cameras on his property. The man only reviewed his footage as far back as 5:26 p.m., not earlier. #WestsTrial

At another home Hightower didn't notice surveillance cameras but said he didn't ask the homeowner if they had any. He doesn't know which agency eventually asked. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he directed a California Highway Patrol helicopter on locations where to look the night the boys were reported missing. They performed a 5-mile radius, he said. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he did not go to the police station that night with Jacqueline and Trezell West but instructed another officer to interview them. #WestsTrial

Court is in recess for lunch and will resume at 1:30 p.m. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 1
DAY FIVE - April 11, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Back in session. Judge Brehmer told the jury tomorrow they will start at 9:30 a.m. #WestsTrial

Cal City Police Chief Jesse Hightower is back on the stand being cross-examined by Alekxia Torres Stallings, attorney for Jacqueline West. #WestsTrial

Hightower has identified two photos of chalk drawings as the drawings he saw on a concrete slab in the backyard of the West home on Dec. 21, 2020. #WestsTrial

Regarding the metal gate in the backyard, Hightower said he doesn't know if the gate opened in both directions. #WestsTrial

Digging in the backyard by the FBI occurred a few days after the boys were reported missing. They used their own equipment to search for human remains and found nothing, Hightower said. #WestsTrial

"Yes," Hightower responded when asked if it was important to keep an open mind during an investigation. #WestsTrial

He agreed that what he says, as police chief, reflects upon the entire police department. He testified he was not aware Officer Michael Kelakios made comments about the case on Facebook and got in trouble for it. #WestsTrial

Prosecutor Eric Smith objected over lack of foundation and Hightower's response was stricken from the record. #WestsTrial

Hightower testified he doesn't know of any specialized training any of the Cal City officers had in dealing with children. #WestsTrial

He agreed the way you speak to a child is different than the way you speak to an adult. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings asked if he watched the interviews Officer Brian Hansen conducted with the other West children. Hightower said he's never seen them, and yesterday was the first time he saw the form with the children's answers. #WestsTrial

"Okay," Torres Stallings said, paused, then moved on. #WestsTrial

Hightower said Hansen did not use the words "murder" or "assisting in murder" regarding his interviews with the children. He said Hansen told him the children said Orrin and Orson were never in California City. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings asked if the department teaches an officer to touch a suspect while they're being interrogated. He said there are a couple different contexts that could be taken. #WestsTrial

"I don't think that's appropriate," Hightower said of touching a suspect on their leg. He said he wasn't aware Hightower did that to Jacqueline West while questioning her at the department. #WestsTrial

Correction: Hightower said he wasn't aware Officer Hansen had done that. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is going to play a recording. Transcripts have been passed out. #WestsTrial

It's body-worn camera footage of Hightower and other officers arriving at the West home on Dec. 23, 2020. The Wests allowed police in the home but they had a search warrant ready, Hightower said. #WestsTrial

Police says they want the Wests to look at some photo lineups. Hightower is given permission by Trezell West to look in the boys' bedrooms. #WestsTrial

He looks through closets in two bedrooms, shines a flashlight along the wall and into corners. #WestsTrial

Hightower said there were several search warrants served on the home, he's not sure when they located a firearm but they did find one. He said it would have been taken, made safe and kept in a secure place. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings pauses the video on an image of Hightower holding a pistol. Hightower said it was found in a closet. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings played footage in which Hightower apparently says he would hide the weapon. Hightower said he doesn't remember saying that but if that's what the video says he said it. #WestsTrial

The gun was placed underneath a blanket on a bunk bed. Hightower, under questioning from Torres Stallings, said in this particular instance it was a secure location. He said there's an explanation but she didn't question him about it. #WestsTrial

Hightower has rejoined other officers in a room where the Wests are being questioned. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings asked if the living room looks like it did two days earlier when the boys were reported missing. Hightower said, "yes." #WestsTrial

In the video, Hightower and Trezell West go in the backyard where Trezell starts going through what happened the night of Dec. 21, 2020. #WestsTrial

Trezell West talks about gathering wood and noticing the boys had gone missing. He talks about all the attention the case is getting, how people are "acting crazy." #WestsTrial

Trezell West says he didn't think to look for footprints or anything like that, he at first just thought the boys were playing hide and seek. #WestsTrial

Trezell says he's stressed. Asked what he thinks happened, he said people are talking about how maybe the biological parents took them. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings paused the recording and Hightower said the biological parents were interviewed. He said he believes they were interviewed the same day as this recording was made. #WestsTrial

Hightower said the time stamp on the video is wrong and this interview with Trezell took place on Dec. 22, 2020. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings has resumed playing the video and Trezell is continuing to speak with Hightower. #WestsTrial

Trezell tells Hightower some of the planks in the backyard fence are loose. The video was briefly paused and Hightower said he doesn't know if anyone checked to see if the planks were loose or partly open. #WestsTrial

Trezell talks about changing the boys' names from Cinsere and Classic to Orrin and Orson. He says the other 4 children are partly Hispanic and Orrin and Orson are Black. #WestsTrial

Trezell in the video talks about the need for more Black children to be adopted and be part of strong families. #WestsTrial

The conversation pivots to Trezell talking about how he creates beats and sells them to other musicians. He says it's all done online. #WestsTrial

They go back in the house. Hightower speaks quietly with another officer. #WestsTrial

The video jumps to asking the Wests if they'll agree to a DNA cheek swab. It ends shortly afterward. Hightower said the Wests voluntarily gave the DNA swab. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings ended her questioning and Timothy Hennessy, attorney for Trezell West, has begun cross-examination. #WestsTrial

The plan during the recording just played was to divide the couple, make sure there were no weapons and question them, Hightower said. He said he didn't tell the couple they had a warrant and doesn't know if someone else did. #WestsTrial

Asked about the first dog that was sent to the scene to search for the boys, Hightower said it was a tracking dog. He said he directed search and rescue to follow the route that Trezell's van took. #WestsTrial

Hennessy ended his questioning and prosecutor Eric Smith has begun redirect examination. #WestsTrial

Hightower testified he had the dog follow the van route because he wanted to see if the children had been driven away. Search and rescue did that route first then went to other locations, he said. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he had a signed search warrant from a judge before entering the West home in the video that was previously shown. #WestsTrial

He said he moved the gun for the safety of himself and other officers in case one of the Wests became angry and made a run for the weapon. That's why he took it from the closet and placed it underneath a blanket, he said. #WestsTrial

In sending Officer Hansen to Bakersfield, Hightower said he was getting other people ready for more searches. He didn't know what Hansen would bring back but it changed how they conducted the investigation. #WestsTrial

As incident commander, Hightower delegated responsibilities to others, including to officers who would become the primary investigators. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he relied on Officer Hansen to write reports in this case. #WestsTrial

In a missing persons case, it's necessary to walk thru the scene to try to locate the person, Hightower said. He said they relied on what Trezell and Jacqueline told them the first night of the search. Knowing what he does now, he would have done things differently. #WestsTrial

Local citizens arrived to search for the boys that night, Hightower said. He said he had no control over them going into public areas. #WestsTrial

Court is in recess for 15 minutes. #WestsTrial

 

[Frodosdojo]

Appears that she's testifying with an interpreter. I don't think English is her first language and maybe she could not communicate with the grandkids. But doesn't sound like the mother-daughter communication was all that great either. Stranger that under these circumstances, they were neighbors. JMO

How is she able to foster and adopt and not able to communicate in English ? Did you find that she understood the questions posed to her in English ? I mainly heard the interpreter state her answer but not so much repeating the questions in spanish.

I thought the whole relationship with "her" was strange. I didn't hear her say J's name. She referred to J as "her". She barely remembered the biological children's names and the names of the adopted kids was too much trouble for her. I've never heard anything like it.

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 2
DAY FIVE - April 11, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Court is back in session with Cal City Police Chief Jesse Hightower back on the stand being questioned by prosecutor Eric Smith. #WestsTrial

After a couple quick questions from Smith, Alekxia Torres Stallings is again questioning Hightower. He said he doesn't know if any of the West children questioned by Officer Brian Hansen had any physical or learning disabilities. #WestsTrial

Hightower testified he doesn't know if Hansen told him the children knew the difference between right and wrong. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings ended questioning, now Timothy Hennessy is again asking questions. He clarified for Hennessy there was nothing he could do to stop members of the public from going into the desert area the night the disappearance was reported. #WestsTrial

Hightower said he didn't have the resources to stop citizens from entering certain areas. Questioning has ended and Hightower has been excused. #WestsTrial

The next witness will testify in Spanish with the assistance of an interpreter. #WestsTrial

Maria Martinez has been called to the stand. She lives in Oregon with three adopted children. She adopted them in 2019. She also has three adult children. #WestsTrial

Martinez lived in Bakersfield before moving to Oregon. She lived in an apartment on Lotus Lane. #WestsTrial

Prosecutor Eric Smith has shown her a map of the apartment complex. Martinez said she doesn't understand it. #WestsTrial

She said she thinks she understands it now. The map has been admitted into evidence. #WestsTrial

The apartment where Martinez lived has been identified. She lived there 15 years. At some point Trezell and Jacqueline West moved into the apartment complex. #WestsTrial

Martinez shared a wall with the couple. She can't remember how long they lived there. #WestsTrial

Martinez testified the Wests' biological children are her grandchildren. #WestsTrial

Martinez was a foster parent and went to classes with Jacqueline West on how to make sure the house was safe for children, among other classes. #WestsTrial

Maria Martinez testified she knows the Wests adopted four children but doesn't know their names. She said Jacqueline West had her own life and she had hers. #WestsTrial

Martinez said she communicated with her daughter, Jacqueline West, on Facebook at times. #WestsTrial

Smith has displayed a photo of Jacqueline with four of the children and asked her to identify each person. She has trouble with naming all of them. #WestsTrial

Martinez testified she only remembers the names of the biological children. #WestsTrial

Orrin and Orson weren't pictured in the photo. Martinez said they were adopted in 2019. #WestsTrial

She said she doesn't remember their ages when adopted. #WestsTrial

Asked how often she visited Jacqueline and the kids, Martinez said, "Almost never." She said she had to take care of her kids and Jacqueline had to take car of hers. #WestsTrial

Under questioning by Smith, Martinez said Trezell had nothing to do with her not visiting. She said she rarely visits anyone. #WestsTrial

Martinez testified she never watched Jacqueline and Trezell's children in 2019 or 2020. "No, we wouldn't see each other," she said. #WestsTrial

Martinez testified she recognized a photo of Orrin and Orson West but couldn't remember their names. #WestsTrial

Having been shown the photos, Martinez said she can't remember babysitting the children. #WestsTrial

The Wests didn't tell her when they were moving. She didn't find out until afterward, Martinez said. #WestsTrial

Martinez testified she didn't watch any of the 6 children while the Wests moved. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline West later called her to say they had moved to California City, Martinez said. #WestsTrial

Martinez said she took the Wests some plants for their new home. #WestsTrial

Martinez has identified photos of the plants taken on her phone. Her phone was given to law enforcement to extract information. #WestsTrial

There were some messages from Jacqueline asking when she was arriving at the Cal City home. #WestsTrial

Martinez said she just got the plants from the car then she left the Cal City home. Jacqueline helped her get the plants from the car. Martinez said she didn't go into the home that day, Oct. 10, 2020. #WestsTrial

During video chats with her daughter, she never talked with the children, Martinez said. "It was weird that she wouldn't show them," she said. #WestsTrial

Martinez said she found out the boys were missing when the FBI came to her home. #WestsTrial

In December 2020, Trezell West dropped Jacqueline off and they went to eat tacos, Martinez said. She said Jacqueline told her Trezell and the kids were going to Trezell's mom's. This was around Dec. 5 or 6. #WestsTrial

Court is in recess for the day. Martinez will resume testifying at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. #WestsTrial

 

[Seattle1]

How is she able to foster and adopt and not able to communicate in English ? Did you find that she understood the questions posed to her in English ? I mainly heard the interpreter state her answer but not so much repeating the questions in spanish.

I thought the whole relationship with "her" was strange. I didn't hear her say J's name. She referred to J as "her". She barely remembered the biological children's names and the names of the adopted kids was too much trouble for her. I've never heard anything like it.

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s Mother is at the witness stand. #Westtrial

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline’s mother being questioned by prosecuting attorney, Eric Smith-She gave a testimony through an interpreter. She said she lived in Casa Loma Apartments, in a building next to Trezell and Jacqueline, when the Wests lived in Bakersfield. #Westtrial

I did not listen to MM's testimony and made my assumption from the MSM quote that she gave testimony through an interpreter. Typically, an English-speaking individual does not require an interpreter if they are proficient in English. I'm also not familiar with her household size and nature. JMO

ETA: It also appears that Spanish-speaking immigrants are embraced if not promoted for fostering in CA.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis is passionate about getting the Latino community more involved in foster parenting to support these children in need. The Supervisor has joined with DCFS and the Office of Immigrant Affairs to launch the County’s first campaign devoted to galvanizing the Latino community to support children in foster care and connect them with loving families called Juntos con los Niños (Together with the Children).

Los Angeles County Launches New Campaign to Recruit More Latino Foster Parents for Thousands of Children in Need of Loving Homes | Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

dcfs.lacounty.gov

 

[Mitch1]

Oh wow, English not being her 1st language or not her mother was just as much of a creep as Jacqueline and Trezell!

 

[Chelly]

Thank you @PommyMommy for posting the twitter reporting of Orson and Orrin's trial. I think this is a trial that especially deserved cameras in the court room and live streaming. ... Particularly of the testimony of the police officers, which leaves me shaking my head.

 

[mickey2942]

I say this respectfully, not knowing what the family dynamics are - but that appears to be one disengaged Grandma? Or maybe she was kept at arms length perhaps, MOO. I'll be interested in hearing what direction this goes tomorrow. If you have Facebook, search AVNews Crew ...

It almost sounds like Jacqueline was very isolated, and her Mother was really not part of her family unit. It sure doesn't sound like she was welcome when she came over, not allowed in the house? Seriously?

It sounds like Jacqueline was isolated. The relationship dynamics are interesting, and worrisome. JMO.

 

[NeverPersonal]

California City Police Officer Brian Hansen was the only witness called to testify by Chief Trial Deputy Eric Smith. Hansen said he didn’t see small shoe prints where Trezell said the brothers were playing prior to going missing.
Hansen testified he didn’t see items traditionally found in homes with small children, such as dirty diapers and sippy cups. Toothbrushes intended for children had dust on them, he added.

Video shows police confronting adoptive father over conflicting accounts of Cal City toddlers’ disappearance

In a two hour video played in court Wednesday, police confronted the father of two missing California City boys about alleged contradictions relating to their disappearance.

www.bakersfield.com

 

[Kingsley]

The boys were loved before they went to the West's. The foster family was going to adopt them but were taken by CPS due to alleged abuse of one of the family siblings. The mother had "thousands of pictures of them".

https://twitter.com/KGETnews

 

[UrsulaWrenn]

The foster family was going to adopt them but were taken by CPS due to alleged abuse of one of the family siblings

There seemed to be a lot of that in their lives.
Birth mom lost them because someone broke the older boys' legs.
Foster family lost them because someone abused one or both of them.
Adoptive family killed them.
Two little boys who never stood a chance.

 

[cvaldez1975]

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So this explains the "footprints" -- apparently dust vs grass so footprints would be expected. JMO

Did anyone watch this? It is video of part of the opening statements.

At the :19 mark the last known photo ever taken of Orrin is shown. It's dated July 25, 2020 and was recovered from the cell phones that "were seized in this case."

At :33 they show the last known photo of Orson, dated the same day, taken at the apartment on Lotus Lane.

I don't remember seeing these photos before. So tiny and innocent.

Thank you for the video, Knox.

cincere looks like hes on time out in the restroom he has "the beak" (pouty face)

 

[Frodosdojo]

There seemed to be a lot of that in their lives.
Birth mom lost them because someone broke the older boys' legs.
Foster family lost them because someone abused one or both of them.
Adoptive family killed them.
Two little boys who never stood a chance.

That's not what the foster mother testified to. She said that her daughter's (who was 6 at the time) school reported that her husband had kicked her. She was investigated and all the foster children were removed.