Mother of beaten Guam toddler testifies at father’s murder, child abuse trial

HAGATNA, Guam – The mother of a Guam toddler who died of abuse said Monday that she regularly found the girl bruised and injured after being in the care of her father, who is accused of killing their child.

The 23-month-old girl’s father, John Castro, is on trial, charged with aggravated murder, assault and child abuse.

The girl’s mother, Suzane Lotino, testified that she left the child in Castro’s care when she worked overnight shifts, Pacific Daily News reported (http://ow.ly/E4ufl ). When she would come home, the girl would have injuries that Castro said came from accidents.

“He would say they were playing and she tripped and fell,” Lotino said.

Some examples Lotino cited included one in October 2013 when the girl suffered a fractured skull and another when she heard her daughter scream from another part of the home. Castro told her he jumped on the child’s legs to get a centipede off her.

The girl was crying and limping afterward, Lotino said.

He also spanked her so hard once that the girl was bruised for months, Lotino said.

Castro’s defence attorneys have said there’s no probable cause to show he’s responsible for the child’s death.

Lotino said she didn’t leave Castro because there was nowhere to go and she was too proud and stubborn to ask family for help.

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Information from: Pacific Daily News: http://www.guampdn.com