Defense pathologist Anny Sauvageau has contradicted the causes of death of the girl from Granby which had been presented so far in the trial of the child’s mother-in-law. The expert witness concluded that the girl did indeed die from the duct tape in which she was wrapped, but she found it unlikely that the mouth and nose were covered.
The forensic pathology consultant determined that the girl died of hyperthermia from body wrapping and mechanical asphyxia. Dr. Caroline Tanguay, who testified at the request of the Crown three weeks ago, instead claimed that the victim died of external suffocation.
“External suffocation, the adhesive tape would have had to be put in such a way as to completely obstruct the mouth and nose,” explained Mme Sauvageau. Care should be taken to smooth along the mouth and up along the nose. ”
The expert pointed out that if the child had died of external suffocation, the first responders would have noticed compression marks on her face and not just on her body. The girl was reportedly unable to speak, cry or cry as reported by the accused’s son and the mother-in-law herself.
Mme Sauvageau considers “very probable” that the child died instead of hyperthermia by body wrapping. The girl wore a shirt, the sleeves tied at the back, like a compression garment before being wrapped in several layers of duct tape. A pink toque had also been placed between his ankles.
“A wrap in material like that can make it so that the body cannot return its temperature to the outside if it is too hot. He cannot sweat effectively. Even if we get wet, we cannot do the temperature exchanges to cool down, ”said this third and final Defense witness.
This theory would explain why a police officer and paramedic found the girl’s body hot when it was discovered naked and lifeless on the floor of her bedroom, Mr.me Sauvageau. The first responders had also spoken of a “wall of heat” when they entered the victim’s room.
Mme Sauvageau also underlined that before being rolled up with adhesive tape, the child’s arms were brought back, in a cross, on his thorax. This position may have prevented “respiratory movements”.
The Dr Caroline Tanguay had for her part excluded the hypothesis of hyperthermia, because she considered it impossible for the child’s temperature to drop to 34.1 during its transport to the hospital. The pathologist had also investigated the possibility of mechanical asphyxiation, but dismissed this conclusion after hearing the testimony of the accused’s son. He said there was a gap between the tape and the child’s body. He also said he saw his sister’s mouth and nose covered in sticky paper.
“Overweight”
Earlier in the afternoon, Anny Sauvageau detailed the evolution of the victim’s height and weight during his short life. The expert concluded that the child was small and that her weight was proportional to her height.
“I do not consider that she was skinny or undernourished,” said M.me Sauvageau. She suggested that the child was sometimes “overweight despite being small.” The Dr Tanguay had reported a “significant delay in weight”.
The first witnesses who arrived in the room of the seven-year-old girl also spoke of a “rickety” child. A policeman referred to the starving children of Ethiopia.
On Thursday, the Crown will cross-examine Anny Sauvageau. One of the final stages of the trial, Defense and Crown argument, will take place thereafter.