April 15, 2009

Emotional testimony today in the case of a Wichita woman accused in the death of her stepdaughter. Katie Cornejo is on trial in Sedgwick County District Court.

Prosecutors called the child's father, Tommy Robertson, to the witness stand today. He told the jury he and Cornejo met and got married in a matter of weeks. Robertson said he felt Cornejo singled out his daughter Daytona. Cornejo is accused of murdering Daytona in February, 2008. The toddler died of blunt force trauma to the head.

Cornejo's friend Naomi Gonzales also testified this morning. She said she was also worried with the way Cornejo treated the little girl. "She said you don't understand, she bites me, she kicks me...she said I hate her", Gonzales testified.

Testimony continued this afternoon with Tommy Robertson on the stand.

A pediatric specialist from Wesley who treated Daytona testified that she came to the hosp. with swelling on the brain, a bump on the head and bruises on her jaw, back and bottom. He testified that her injuries could not have happened several days before she was brought to the hospital and that the injuries were fresh and recent.

The defense says that the injuries could have happened at the daycare when Daytona was with her biological mother the night before.