Chapter 18 - Lily testifies
Lily testified by closed-circuit procedure only after the judge made specific findings that direct courtroom confrontation would cause serious emotional distress? At eight, possible where statute allows and constitutional requirements met.
She sat in a smaller room.
Judge.
Attorneys.
Camera.
Support person behind her, not coaching.
I was not beside her.
She wore a pale blue cardigan.
No hospital wristband.
Prosecutor asked:
“Do you know Victoria?”
“Yes.”
“Tell us what happened in the hospital.”
Lily described:
Victoria tying ankles.
Giving medicine.
Telling her to stay quiet.
Twisting IV.
Then:
“What did she say?”
“The sicker you are, the more valuable you are to me.”
Defense cross-examined gently.
“You loved Victoria before this?”
Lily looked confused.
“Sometimes.”
“Did she make you breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“Help with homework?”
“Yes.”
“Take you to doctors?”
“Yes.”
Complexity.
Then:
“Did your father ever tell you Victoria wanted you sick?”
“No.”
“Did he tell you the phrase you just repeated?”
“I heard him tell police.”
There.
Defense:
“So you heard your father say those exact words before your forensic interview?”
“Yes.”
That mattered.
Then prosecutor redirect:
“Before your father arrived, did you tell any hospital worker something about Victoria?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“That she gets mad when I feel better.”
Independent.
Then medication.
“Could you see what was in the syringe?”
“No.”
“Do you know medicine names?”
“No.”
“Could it have been something prescribed?”
“I don’t know.”
Honest.
Then restraints.
“Did Victoria say why?”
“She said I move too much.”
“Were you pulling your IV?”
“I tried because it hurt.”
There.
A child can contribute to chaotic scene without justifying restraint.
Then she testified:
Victoria sometimes gave her medicine at home without telling Dad because:
“Dad asks too many questions.”
My stomach hurt.
Then financial line:
“Did Victoria talk to you about money?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
“My sick days pay for people to help me.”
That was partly true.
Trust paid care.
Then:
“She said if I got all better, her company didn’t need to be there.”
There.
No explicit plan.
But motive.
Lily finished.
No dramatic collapse.
She asked for hot chocolate.
The court broke for lunch.
Then Victoria watched her on monitor.
May you like
I wondered what she felt.
I never learned.
