Opening statements delivered in Barreras trial (with clip)
April 17, 2019
"...In her opening statements, prosecuting attorney Virginia Aspacher said Raquel Barreras treated Roman differently than her other children, keeping him isolated. Some of those siblings will be called to testify about that treatment during the trial.
The prosecution said Barreras “knowingly and intentionally” abused her child in a way that could lead to death and, in doing so, murdered him.
“It took Roman a long time to die. It took him a long time to starve to death and she watched him do it,” said Aspacher. “We cannot make these things better for Roman. What we can do is bring justice to Roman, the justice that Roman deserves.”
In opening statements, the defense pushed back on claims Barreras murdered her son.
Defense attorney Cynthia Yializis said Roman was a “medically compromised” child that required doctor visits, which he did not receive, and said it is possible there were “other, natural causes of death”....
The defense attorney shifted blame to the child safety officials, as well as to Roman’s father and adult sister. Yializis said these are people that could have helped Roman when he was alive, but did not...."
Opening statements delivered in Barreras trial
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Siblings of Roman testify in Barreras trial (with clip)
April 19, 2019
"TUCSON – It was a heart wrenching and an emotional day inside a Pima County Superior courtroom. Witnesses, some who are family members of Raquel Barreras, took the stand to testify....Friday, Roman’s sister told the court said she asked her mom why Roman was left inside that toy chest and the mom replied. “He was very very very bad.”
The brother of Roman also testified and got very emotional as he said he looked inside the toy box in the backyard before they moved and saw his little brother dead inside.
Another sister talked about how Barreras would not let her four other kids play with Roman and said “It was none of their business.”...
The siblings of Roman also talked about how there was a laundry room outside their house. Their mom would keep Roman in it, locked. Two of the kids would sneak in to feed their three-year-old brother crackers and said he looked very thin and knew something was wrong.
The trial is expected to resume on April 29 and wrap up sometime in May."
Siblings of Roman testify in Barreras trial
