Medical examiner discusses toddler’s deadly head injury
Cardwell trial continues to focus on forensics - News 11's Crystal Jimenez reports
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A medical examiner took the witness stand for a second day to further discuss the injuries that caused 20-month-old Celine Carreno's death.
Celine died in May of 2015. Her stepfather, Jared Cardwell, is on trial for murder in connection with her death.
Greg Hess performed the autopsy on Celine. On Thursday, Hess provided more details on the head injury that killed the child. He told jurors the little girl could have died fairly quickly after suffering the severe injury.
Defense attorneys asked if the injury could have been accidental. Hess told the court it could have been caused by a short fall, but it was highly unlikely. He said it would be rare for a fall to produce that sort of trauma.
Prosecutors then focused on the severity of the injury. They wanted to know how long it would take for someone to die after suffering such a blow.
The prosecution claims Hess originally testified the child died within 15-minutes. However, during Thursday's testimony, the medical examiner said he could not be that specific. He would only say the toddler died "relatively rapidly" after suffering the head injury.
