A pediatric neurologist testifying for the defense said Friday he believed an infant actually died of stroke complications stemming from a fall days earlier rather than being fatally shaken by her babysitter as prosecutors allege.
The child “had very bad luck,” Baltimore-based Dr. Joseph Scheller told jurors. The stroke was built up “from a relatively minor head injury.”
Trisha Woodworth, now 32, of Gary, is on trial this week, charged in the April 17, 2016, death of 8-month-old Maci Moor, a friend’s child she was babysitting. Authorities alleged the child had injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome leading to her death.
Scheller’s testimony directly contradicted Dr. Jill Glick — Medical Director of the Child Advocacy and Protective Services Program at the University of Chicago’s Comer Children’s Hospital. She testified Tuesday the child had fresh injuries that were consistent with shaken baby syndrome — including brain injury and “significant” retinal (eye) hemorrhages.
The child was transported to the Chicago hospital from Methodist Northlake where doctors tried unsuccessfully to save her life. Glick, Comer’s child abuse pediatrician expert, told investigators she believed the child showed signs of abuse, which had to have happened shortly before she was admitted, according to court documents. The parents said the child seemed fine after the earlier fall, which led her to rule it out as a cause, she said in court.
Scheller, a neurologist since 1987, claimed there was another explanation.
Looking at brain scans after the child’s death, he believed the fall led to complications that were easily missed by her parents, since babies can be fussy for any number of reasons. It led to a clot in a primary vein in her brain, which led to gradual swelling over time from the back up, he said.
The circumstances were “unusual,” but not unheard of, Scheller said. The retinal (eye) hemorrhages Glick noted would have been related to the child’s condition, rather than abuse, he said.
A subdural hematoma — or bleed between the brain and skull — was relatively “small” only on one side of her brain, which didn’t explain the abuse theory, he said.
What if someone was holding the baby sideways and shaking her back and forth, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Eric Randall asked on cross examination.
It was difficult to grip a baby like that, Scheller responded.
In Chicago, the child got CT scans, rather than an MRI, which would have provided a clearer picture, he said. Glick testified that doctors decided not to give one because the child was deathly ill and hooked up in the pediatric ICU and a CT scan would serve the same purpose.
Scheller said Friday he disagreed with that reasoning, but understood. However, the family was left looking for answers.
“In retrospect, it would have been smart,” he said.
Scheller has been brought in other cases around the country by defense lawyers attempting to disprove shaken baby syndrome charges.
Randall asked how much he was billing defense lawyers for his testimony and involvement. Scheller estimated around $7,000-$8,000.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think there was a very strong, reasonable alternative to physical abuse,” he said.
After interviews, reviewing phone records and reports, an investigator concluded in the affidavit that Maci’s parents could be “ruled out as the individuals who harmed” the child.
“Trisha Woodworth was the adult responsible for the care of Maci Moor at the time that she most likely sustained injuries that resulted in her death,” the release from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office alleged at the time of her arrest.
Woodworth was charged with aggravated battery, neglect of a dependent resulting in death and battery resulting in death to a person less than 14 years of age.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Randall and Veronica Gonzalez are trying the case, while Harold Hagberg and Andreas Kyres are representing Woodworth.
The trial is expected to wrap up Monday.
