gemini26
09-06-2003, 01:35 PM
This happened here in NM. It makes me absoltutely sick. Why did no one report anything??? How could someone do this kind of $hit to an innocent infant??? I would pay to have them alone in a room full of torture weapons, baseball bats, long pointy sticks, lighters, etc.. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
Jury examines baby’s autopsy photographs
By Renée Ruelas
Sep 6, 2003, 12:01
Sun-News photo by Renée Ruelas
ALBUQUERQUE — Jurors were left Friday evening with images from the autopsy of a bruised, cut and bitten 5-month-old Brianna Lopez in the trial of five Las Cruces family members charged in connection with her death.
Brianna’s parents, Stephanie Lopez, 20, and Andy Walters, 22; and her uncle, Steven Lopez, 20, are charged with child abuse resulting in the July 19, 2002, death of the baby. The father and uncle are also charged with criminal sexual penetration.
Paternal grandmother Patricia Walters, 43, and another uncle, Robert Walters, 23, are charged with failure to report child abuse.
The five avoided looking at the autopsy photographs that were projected on the wall in front of them. Only Steven Lopez looked occasionally. He often looked at his twin sister Stephanie Lopez, who covered her face or wiped away tears.
Brianna’s father, Andy Walters, kept his hands on his head and looked down.
District Attorney Susana Martinez reviewed the photographs with Rebecca Irvine, a doctor at the Office of the Medical Investigator, who supervised Brianna’s autopsy the day after her death.
The first photos showed cuts to Brianna’s toe and finger. The photographs progressed to more serious injuries that included numerous bruises in various colors and sizes throughout her body.
There were photos of bite marks on her thighs, back, buttocks, arms, chest and face. The bite marks covered a portion of her left cheek and several appeared to be on top of other bites. Some of the bites were darker in color than others.
The jurors stared straight ahead and some took notes as Irvine described the injuries.
A frontal photograph of Brianna’s head and forehead showed a large bruised area of deep reddish purple to yellow.
Martinez asked if the injury was a pattern of bruising connecting together to form one.
“What’s important is that the whole one third of the baby’s head is covered in abrasions,” Irvine said.
There were gasps from the audience when Martinez displayed a photograph of Brianna’s brain.
Irvine pointed out yellow and red fluid that was old and new blood in the brain — consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Irvine said the yellow was old blood and red was a recent injury.
Brianna also had two rib fractures, a fractured arm and fractures to her legs, Irvine said. The injuries were not recent because they had formed a callous.
Martinez used a diagram, not photos, to show injuries to Brianna’s vagina and anus.
“It’s highly suspicious for sexual assault.” Irvine said.
Brianna also had skull fractures and trauma to her head.
“It happened many weeks before, based on the optic nerve and bleeding in the brain,” Irvine said.
One witness testified that the baby’s father would play catch with the baby.
Laura Mae Williams, a deputy medical investigator, said she interviewed the family members who lived with Brianna, including her father, Andy Walters.
“He said he had been playing a toss-catch game with her (Brianna),” Williams said. “She hit her head on the ceiling and he dropped her once.”
Williams said she questioned Walters about the bite marks.
“He thought the bite marks were from his son, because his son often saw him (Andy Walters) bite Brianna, but he (Andy Walters) did not leave marks,” Williams said.
Jurors will return Monday to hear defense attorneys cross examine Irvine.
The case was moved to Albuquerque after extensive media coverage in Las Cruces.
Jury examines baby’s autopsy photographs
By Renée Ruelas
Sep 6, 2003, 12:01
Sun-News photo by Renée Ruelas
ALBUQUERQUE — Jurors were left Friday evening with images from the autopsy of a bruised, cut and bitten 5-month-old Brianna Lopez in the trial of five Las Cruces family members charged in connection with her death.
Brianna’s parents, Stephanie Lopez, 20, and Andy Walters, 22; and her uncle, Steven Lopez, 20, are charged with child abuse resulting in the July 19, 2002, death of the baby. The father and uncle are also charged with criminal sexual penetration.
Paternal grandmother Patricia Walters, 43, and another uncle, Robert Walters, 23, are charged with failure to report child abuse.
The five avoided looking at the autopsy photographs that were projected on the wall in front of them. Only Steven Lopez looked occasionally. He often looked at his twin sister Stephanie Lopez, who covered her face or wiped away tears.
Brianna’s father, Andy Walters, kept his hands on his head and looked down.
District Attorney Susana Martinez reviewed the photographs with Rebecca Irvine, a doctor at the Office of the Medical Investigator, who supervised Brianna’s autopsy the day after her death.
The first photos showed cuts to Brianna’s toe and finger. The photographs progressed to more serious injuries that included numerous bruises in various colors and sizes throughout her body.
There were photos of bite marks on her thighs, back, buttocks, arms, chest and face. The bite marks covered a portion of her left cheek and several appeared to be on top of other bites. Some of the bites were darker in color than others.
The jurors stared straight ahead and some took notes as Irvine described the injuries.
A frontal photograph of Brianna’s head and forehead showed a large bruised area of deep reddish purple to yellow.
Martinez asked if the injury was a pattern of bruising connecting together to form one.
“What’s important is that the whole one third of the baby’s head is covered in abrasions,” Irvine said.
There were gasps from the audience when Martinez displayed a photograph of Brianna’s brain.
Irvine pointed out yellow and red fluid that was old and new blood in the brain — consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Irvine said the yellow was old blood and red was a recent injury.
Brianna also had two rib fractures, a fractured arm and fractures to her legs, Irvine said. The injuries were not recent because they had formed a callous.
Martinez used a diagram, not photos, to show injuries to Brianna’s vagina and anus.
“It’s highly suspicious for sexual assault.” Irvine said.
Brianna also had skull fractures and trauma to her head.
“It happened many weeks before, based on the optic nerve and bleeding in the brain,” Irvine said.
One witness testified that the baby’s father would play catch with the baby.
Laura Mae Williams, a deputy medical investigator, said she interviewed the family members who lived with Brianna, including her father, Andy Walters.
“He said he had been playing a toss-catch game with her (Brianna),” Williams said. “She hit her head on the ceiling and he dropped her once.”
Williams said she questioned Walters about the bite marks.
“He thought the bite marks were from his son, because his son often saw him (Andy Walters) bite Brianna, but he (Andy Walters) did not leave marks,” Williams said.
Jurors will return Monday to hear defense attorneys cross examine Irvine.
The case was moved to Albuquerque after extensive media coverage in Las Cruces.