Jurors on Monday were shown gruesome pictures of the slashed throat of a dying 9-year-old Rebbeca Aramburo, whose mother is on trial for murder.
Lisa Platz, Rebbeca's mother, asked to be excused during the testimony of Dr. Donald Henrikson, a forensic pathologist who performed an autopsy on the girl four days after she was found dead in a tent at Campground by the Lake on Sept. 21, 2001.
El Dorado County District Attorney Gary Lacy had Henrikson focus on the larger of two wounds, which ran from ear-to-ear underneath Rebbeca's chin.
Henrikson said the large slash cut the trachea, but missed the jugular. It made air escape before hitting the vocal chords and likely caused Rebbeca to suffocate on her own blood. A smaller cut was not fatal.
Unopened cuts beneath the chin were caused by the child struggling or the murderer hesitating before cutting her throat, Henrikson said.
Bruises and abrasions were found on Rebbeca's body. Henrikson said cuts on Rebbeca's hands could have been caused by her trying to defend herself by grabbing the knife.
On cross-examination, El Dorado County Public Defender Rick Meyer confirmed that Henrikson wasn't sure if Rebbeca's throat was cut from behind or in front.
Platz and her boyfriend, James Csucsai, were with Rebbeca when authorities stormed the bloody tent after a nine-hour standoff, which started when a police officer spotted the vehicle of the couple wanted for kidnapping in Washington.
Platz faces life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping with special circumstances. She remains in El Dorado County Jail without bail.
Csucsai committed suicide in April in his cell.
The prosecution says Platz killed Rebbeca to end a custody dispute. When officers cut the tent open, Platz was found with self-inflicted wrist wounds, partially covering her daughter.
The suspected murder weapon, a large military knife, was discovered a foot above Platz's head, officers testified.
Lacy called six officers to the witness stand at El Dorado County Superior Court to question them about the apprehension of the tent's occupants. He continued the testimony of South Lake Tahoe Police Officer Rob Heindl, who spotted the white Nissan and made initial contact with the adults.
"Ms. Platz's statements constantly revolved around death and dying, such as, 'We're all prepared to die in here' while Mr. Csucsai's comments were more like 'We want to leave,'" Heindl testified.
The trial is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. today.