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« Lt. governor brings health care proposal to Pawtucket | Today | Trial of former CVS executives opens in federal court » May 12, 2008Bunnell trial: Toddler's injuries worse than spankingPROVIDENCE –– A pediatrician who examined Thomas “T.J.” Wright the night he was beaten said the three-year-old homicide victim had injuries far worse than commonly inflicted by a spanking when he was admitted to Hasbro Children’s Hospital barely clinging to life. “What we saw on T.J. was not normal to the discipline of a child. This was excessive force,” Dr. Reena Isaac. Dr. Isaac, who now teaches at the Baylor College of Medicine, offered the testimony this morning on the fifth day of Katherine Bunnell’s trial in Superior Court on charges of murder and conspiracy to murder. Bunell, 24 and her boyfriend, Gilbert Delestre, 27, are accused of beating three-year-old T.J. to death after the boy, who had been placed in their care as foster parents, made a mess in the living room of their Woonsocket apartment. They are being tried separately because each is expected to implicate the other in the Oct. 30, 2004, beating. Delestre, who, like Bunnell, is being held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions, made a videotaped statement in which he said T.J. was injured by a tumble down the stairs. But Dr. Isaac, a pediatrician with a subspecialty in forensic pediatrics and child abuse, said the injuries T.J. suffered were inconsistent with such a scenario. She said that T.J. had showed signs of multiple blunt force trauma when he came into the hospital -- Journal staff writer John Castellucci Posted by Brandie Jefferson Commentscranston guy | May 12, 2008 2:52 PM link I heard parts of the medical examiners testimony and it made sick to my stomach and sick to my heart. I cannot imagine beating an animal, let alone a child for making a "mess" which is something they routinely do. I do not buy that this was some "young, inexperienced" caregiver in "over her head" or "under stress" as some would suggest. This was a family member, a blood relative who this child trusted. Can you imagine what his life had been up to that point? I'm sure this wasn't the first time they showed their tempers. Two kids against one kid is unfair; two adults against one kid is absolutely unacceptable, vile and animalistic. I hope "an eye for an eye" is the thought in the back of all the jurors minds when deliberating. That little boy will always be in my prayers. May he rest in peace and no longer in fear. Sue Lawrence | May 12, 2008 2:57 PM link I think this poor soul has been spared a life of torment and torture. He probabaly has sustained this type of abuse in the past. He has a mother who went to jail for possesion. He has an aunt/foster parent who does not have the heart of the coldest beast. This kid, God rest his poor soul, had no shot at life. He probably would have wound up either an abuser, or killer, or at the very least a criminal. Because there was no person in his life that would have afforded him an example of a productive facet of society. This is another example of the wrong people having babies. Frank | May 12, 2008 9:17 PM link Foster parents or foster torturers??? Every time I ready about this poor boy, I cry. j | May 12, 2008 10:19 PM link Post a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006
these people do not deserve to live in society. Life in prison without the possibility of parole!!