REGINA – A young teen took the stand in the Goforth murder trial Tuesday and testified that he saw the four-year-old victim at the centre of the case being taped to a wall.
Speaking quietly on the stand, the 14-year-old described what he says he saw during his visits to his relatives, Tammy and Kevin Goforth.
The pair are facing Second Degree Murder charges in the death of a 4-year-old girl who was in their care in August 2012.
The Regina couple is also accused of abusing and neglecting the victim’s two-year-old sister.
The girls’ mother gasped in the courtroom and began sobbing as the boy described watching Tammy tape the four-year-old victim to the wall in the basement.
He testified that he would play with two other children in the home, but the girls were locked in their room and wouldn’t eat for an entire weekend.
The defence challenged the boy. “You’ve been told what to say here today, correct?” asked Jeff Deagle. The boy replied, “no…whenever I was there they were always locked up in their room.”
DNA Analysis
A forensic DNA analysis expert also took the stand Tuesday.
Peter McLaren has worked for the RCMP’s forensics laboratory in Edmonton for 31 years.
According to his testimony, he analyzed items that could be used for binding to determine if there was any DNA on them from either the victims or the Goforths.
Last week, the jury learned Cst. Garth Fleece, member of Regina Police’s forensic identification unit (FIU), found a number of items believed to be used as restraints when he searched the Goforths home in 2012.
McLaren testified that DNA found on what’s described as shrink wrap with tape matched the four-year-old girl and accused Tammy Goforth.
A single strand of hair in a buckle of cargo straps hanging from a rack in the basement also was matched to the victim.
McLaren said a pair of infant pajama pants with duct tape also matched to the girl and the accused Kevin Goforth.
A pediatrician who treated the younger girl while in hospital also took the stand Tuesday. Her testimony echoed others heard since the trial began that the two-year-old was severely malnourished.
The Crown is expected to call their final witness when the trial resumes Wednesday morning, which takes us half way through the scheduled three week trial.
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