GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On the third day of testimony in the trial for the man accused of starving and dehydrating his daughter to death, a medical examiner said it was one of the most severe cases he'd ever seen.
Seth Welch, 28, and Tatiana Fusari, 29, are both charged with felony murder and first degree child abuse in the death of their nearly 10-month-old daughter Mary. At the time of her death, Mary weighed just over a pound more than she did at birth.
Welch's trial began with testimony on Wednesday and both the prosecution and the defense rested by Friday afternoon. Welch opted not to testify.
On Monday, the attorneys will give their closing arguments before the case is put in the hands of the jurors. If convicted, Welch could face up to life in prison.
On Jan. 24, jurors heard from a child abuse pediatrician, the medical examiner who performed Mary's autopsy, the midwife who was supposed to help deliver Mary and the investigator tasked with looking through the two parents' cell phones.
Text messages reveal that Welch complained often about Mary to his wife while she was at work. At one point he texts his wife to come home early from work to take care of Mary's crying: "Cuz it's wild. I'm 'bout to f*** her up I gagged her for a bit it's so bad."
Defense attorney Charles Clapp said his client got in over his head trying to be a parent to three young children, but that he did not deliberately starve Mary.
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