Correction: A previous version of the story said the girls were first taken from their parents in 2010. The girls were taken from their home in 2009.
REGINA – A majority of the third day of the Goforth murder trial was spent on the Crown’s witness, a social services worker who described the victims’ time in foster care.
Kevin and Tammy Goforth are facing second degree murder charges in connection with the death of a four-year-old who was in their care in August 2012. Both are also accused of abusing and neglecting the victim’s 2-year-old sister.
READ MORE: Day two of Goforth murder trial details police search of home, victim’s injuries
On Wednesday, Alicia Ward, a child protection worker with the Ministry of Social Services, said the girls were first taken from their home in 2009. She described the four-year-old victim as “fairly pudgy” with “full cheeks,” during her time in at least nine different placements.
She also said both girls demeanor while in the foster homes, prior to being in the care of the Goforths, was “content, quiet, affectionate.”
The Crown asked Ward if the Ministry was concerned the girls had fetal alcohol syndrome. Ward said there was no test done, but neither girl showed symptoms of the syndrome.
Ward then said the accused became legal guardians of the girls in 2011, which she said meant the children were no longer in the care of the Ministry.
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She also said she never saw the girls after they were placed in the Goforths care in November 2011, as there was no policy at the time requiring contact.
According to Ward, when she was asked to look at photos of the older girl’s injuries in the hospital, she couldn’t identify the girl, saying “her face is gaunt,” and “you can see bones in her shoulders.”
However, the defence accused the witness of lying when she testified she read Tammy Goforth a document verbatim when the couple became guardians.
That document, Ward said, stated the children were no longer under the care of the Ministry.
Defence lawyer Jeff Deagle showed the court that the document was dated a year later than when Ward said she read it.
“You never read the documents to her, it’s simply not true is it?” Deagle asked in the courtroom. Ward responded “no.”
Two of the girls’ former caregivers also testified later in the afternoon. A number of Regina police investigators are expected to take the stand Thursday.
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