The trial for the care giver accused of leaving a four-year-old little girl dead in her basement for two days wrapped in plastic continued Wednesday. But the victim’s mother wasn’t allowed inside.
Chelsey Cook, 22, is charged with felony child abuse resulting in death.
On January 5, 2016, police find Alicia Morrow, 4, naked except for socks wrapped in a plastic mattress bag in the basement of a home at 30th & Franklin St. A notarized document signed by Morrow’s mother says she turned over custody to Cook in December 2014.
Prosecutors say Cook punished Morrow the night of January 2 and made her sleep in a freezing attic room without a blanket or clothes. When she saw Alicia was suffering from hypothermia the next day she allegedly didn't take her to get help.
Alicia's mother, Lakisha Morrow, wasn't allowed in the courthouse Wednesday because of an altercation between the Morrow and Cook families Tuesday afternoon. Morrow was arrested for disorderly conduct.
"I'm mad I'm very mad because I feel like at the beginning the whole situation could've been prevented. They could've kept walking to their car, you chose to stop, jump in my relatives face popping off at the mouth and all this. You don't think you're going to have a reaction? Oh, you're going to have a reaction out of me,” Lakisha Morrow explained.
In court Wednesday, prosecutors argued after Alicia died Cook put her in a plastic mattress bag in the basement of the home, and just continued with her life. She went to church, and went to work not telling anyone about what happened. They also showed a police interview with Cook after Alicia’s body was discovered wrapped in plastic in the basement.
The defense says Cook people have testified was good to Alicia, and the girl wouldn't have survived even if she got to the hospital. Morrow wants people to know she's not crazy, and that she's emotional because she's still grieving.
"Do I want her to spend the rest of her life in jail? I do because my daughter is buried 6 feet in white box in a purple dress. My daughter, she ain't going to be able to be a voice for herself but you best believe if I got to go hard for my daughter,” Lakisha described. "It's going to happen because she's not here to be a voice for herself."
Security will continue to be increased on the 5th floor for the rest of the trial, which will start the third day of testimony on Thursday.
