Chapter 18 - PRETRIAL
The prosecutor offered Bernice a plea.
Felony reduced to misdemeanor child endangerment if she pleaded to:
Intentional unauthorized medication reduction.
Falsification of logs.
Unsafe physical handling in hospital.
Probation plus short custody possibility.
No unsupervised contact.
Treatment/education.
She refused.
Not because she denied medication reduction.
Because “child endangerment” implied she had endangered Elodie.
She still believed she had reduced danger.
Trial.
Family court stayed future visitation review until after.
Then my own diversion ended.
Charge dismissed.
I had completed:
Anger management.
Community service.
No violations.
I told Elodie.
“Daddy class done.”
“Graduation?”
“Not exactly.”
“Sticker?”
“No sticker.”
She brought one from school.
Put it on my shirt.
GOOD CHOICES.
I laughed until I cried.
Then she asked:
“Grandma court?”
“Yes.”
“Do I go?”
“No.”
The prosecutor did not need her testimony if forensic interview admissibility and corroborating records sufficed? Criminal confrontation issues can complicate. To avoid relying heavily on testimonial child statement, prosecution built case on adult witnesses, logs, texts, admissions, medical records. Elodie would not testify unless necessary.
Good.
She stayed a child.
May you like
Not the state’s centerpiece.
Trial began in November.
