WARNING: This story contains content some readers may find disturbing. Discretion is strongly advised.
The day Alex Radita died in May of 2013, his family told members of their church a miracle had happened, court heard Friday.
Emil and Rodica Radita are on trial accused of first-degree murder for the death of 15-year-old Alex Radita.
Radita weighed less than 37 pounds at the time of his death
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Marius Ciltan, a member of the Romanian Apostolic Pentecostal church on Bowness Road in Calgary, said a friend called the morning of May 7, 2013 to share news of the miracle.
Ciltan said, “I received a call from one friend and he told me, ‘did you hear what’s happened in the Radita family?’ I said no. ‘The child was dead and he raised up…was resurrected.'”
The 40-year-old testified the friend told him, “the child was dead, and now is alive. He told me go there and you’ll see what’s happened.'”
Ciltan said he immediately called Emil Radita, the teen’s father.
“I asked him, ‘is it true what I hear about Alex?’ And he said ‘I don’t know, go there and pray with my family.'”
Ciltan testified he took Emil up on that invitation, and went to the Radita home where he found Rodica Radita and Alex’s siblings praying.
He said when he arrived the family again told him Alex had been dead, but was again alive, ‘but we still have to pray because he’s weak now and God has to make strong body.'”
Ciltan testified Rodica told him, “last night the child has died and in the morning he raise up.”
He said he joined in and prayed with the family, then he asked Rodica if he could see the teen.
“She asked me ‘are you sure you want to see him’, I said yes,” and the pair went into the bedroom.
Ciltan said when he saw Alex, who he described as looking “very bad,” he asked the mother if the teen was alive and Rodica told him yes, Alex was alive.
“I was shocked,” Ciltan said. “He was very skinny. The skin colour was white and he was not moving.”
Ciltan testified Rodica told him, “two hours or one hour ago he was breathing,” and that she had seen Alex blink and that he’d had a bowel movement.
Court heard that Ciltan and the Radita family then went to the church, where one of Alex’s siblings “gave witness” of God’s work in Alex to the congregation.
READ MORE: Calgary parents accused of not treating diabetic teen plead not guilty to first-degree murder
“She asked the church to pray for her brother, and she said her brother has died last night and God resurrected him,” Ciltan said.
Ciltan said there were 20-25 people at the church that day, and 15 of those members then went to the Radita home, at about 8:30p.m.
Ciltan said the group prayed.
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The pastor of the church, Nicolai Brancu testified he went straight to Alex’s room, “I was shocked.”
“When I saw him I know it’s a big problem…I knew he was not alive anymore,” Brancu said. “I told Emil you have to call the ambulance.”
Brancu testified Alex looked “really bad.”
Finally, at 10:07 p.m, Emil Radita called 911.
An audio recording of the 911 call was played in court Friday.
The following are excerpts from the 911 conversation:
Emil Radita: “Well I came from work and I found my son in bed and he’s not breathing.”
911 operator: “Your son is not breathing?”
Emil Radita: “No.”
Operator: “Is he awake?”
Emil Radita: “I tried to shake his hand and he’s not responding.”
Operator: “Tell me if you can hear or feel any breathing.”
Emil Radita: “Ya, I don’t feel anything.”
Operator: “Nothing?”
Emil Radita: “No.”
The autopsy revealed Alex died from a bacterial sepsis (Staphyloccus Aureus) from complications of neglect and starvation.
The fifteen-year-old was found wearing only a T-shirt and a diaper at the time of his death.
The medical examiner testified Thursday, and said Alex had no usable teeth, and he was covered in dozens of ulcers.
Dr. Gofton said Alex’s body was filled with infection, and had bacteria everywhere from his kidneys to his adrenal glands, his spleen and blood stream.
The teen also had a necrotizing ulcer on his neck, that left one of his salivary glands exposed. He had what appeared to be gangerine on one of his toes.
Court also heard Alex was lacking neck muscles; the tissues had liquefied, and the area was filled with puss.
This was all compounded by his type 1 diabetes – that went untreated.
Alex was diagnosed with diabetes when he was just three years old. Court documents show he was removed from the Radita home as a young child living in B.C., after concerns the parents weren’t treating the diabetes.
A judge later returned him to his parents’ care. His family then moved to Alberta, where it seems he went off the radar.
The trial will resume on Monday.
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