The trial for a Convoy woman facing murder charges now reached Day three in the Allen County Courthouse.
Vicky Shellabarger's trial is scheduled to run the rest of this week. She is facing Murder, Involuntary Manslaughter, and Endangering Children charges.
In April of 2018, Shellabarger’s daughter Madilynn was found not breathing in a Delphos apartment and later pronounced dead at the hospital.
A male who was present at the time of the incident started off trial proceedings. The incident took place in his apartment.
The witness testified that Shellabarger and her children were over his apartment along with another witness. He testified that no one had contact with Madilynn after she put her to bed around eight o'clock that day by Shellabarger.
He was alerted that something was wrong when he heard Shellabarger scream, and saw the Madilynn was unresponsive.
The witness also testified that the defendant was "joking" and "laughing" while talking to detectives once they arrived on scene.
One of Madilynn's babysitters was next to testify. She stated that she met Shellabarger and Madilynn at a Mcdonald's, where she changed Madilynn's diaper. She testified that she did not see any bruises on the child's body while she was changing her diaper.
The final witness on day three of the trial was Randall Schlievert, Director of Mercy Health Toledo's Child Abuse program. Schlievert shared his findings to the jury on the nature that Madilynn obtained her bruises.
"Any genetics, birth-related conditions can be excluded, and accident can be excluded, the only thing that makes sense in this case is that she was injured by inflicted forces... she was beaten to death," Schlievert stated.
"And when you say 'beaten to death' you mean infliction of trauma by an individual?" Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Randal Bassinger asked to follow up.
"Yes sir," Schlievert replied.
The director went on to state that his conclusion was that the bruises found on the body were "abuse or inflicted related", further explaining that the number of bruises are more than what a child would get with self-inflicted force.
"She's got bruising on a bowel, she's got a torn mesentery... forces that we see in accidents that are comparable to car accidents, being hit while riding your bike, and none of that happened..."
Schlievert continued, "Medically it is a pretty easy diagnosis to make. The only thing that makes sense is these were forces caused by a person."
Both the state and defense rested their cases, ending day three of the trial.
Closing arguments will now take place at the Allen County Courthouse Friday morning.
