The father of Ezekiel Stephan, the 18-month-old Alberta boy who died of meningitis in 2012, said he had been robbed of the limited time he had left with his son when police asked for interviews regarding care for his son.
David Stephan had taken the stand for redirect examination by his defence lawyer Thursday after his his testimony in the days before.
Both David and his wife Collet are charged with failing to provide the necessities of life for Ezekiel in 2012.
After David finished his testimony, Collet took the stand. She became emotional, breaking down in tears when she described giving her son CPR in the back of the vehicle as David drove to the hospital.
“It was really hard to see my son in that state,” Collet told defence lawyer Shawn Buckly.
WATCH: Global’s ongoing coverage in the trial of David and Collet Stephan
She also recalled learning about seizures from Dr. Jonathan Gamble, after he said there was evidence of them Ezekiel’s scan. She said he explained a seizure could be as simple as a repetitive movement.
“I recalled a week before when he pulled on his diaper two times,” she told the court. “I wasn’t sure if that could be one, but it was the only repetitive movement. He only did it twice and never did it again.”
Collet also explained that she felt anxiety once she found out about the investigation.
“Our son was on life support, then we are told we are being neglectful and being questioned on our parenting, and we could lose both our children. I was 20 weeks pregnant and feared losing that child as well.”
Collet also testified that when she used an eye dropper to hydrate Ezekiel he was still capable to drink on his own, and that it was done as a precaution.
She is expected to be back on the stand Friday.