Woman charged with murder in death of stepson, 10, continues testimony at trial

BRAMPTON, Ont. – A woman charged with murder in the death of her stepson will testify for a second day in a Toronto-area court.

Nichelle Boothe-Rowe told the court Tuesday she knew Shakeil Boothe was being beaten and chained up by his father, but didn’t think his injuries were life-threatening.

She testified that when she found the 10-year-old’s lifeless body in the family’s basement on May 26, 2011, she believed he had died from a bad cold.

She said her husband, Garfield Boothe, told her not to call 911 and later moved his son’s body to the boy’s bedroom, where paramedics found him the next day.

Boothe-Rowe and her husband are both charged with second-degree murder.

Court has heard autopsy results showed widespread internal bleeding overwhelmed Shakeil’s frail body, already weakened by malnutrition and severe infection.

The pathologist who examined Shakeil’s body said the boy had sustained heavy blows minutes to hours before his death.