BELFAST, Maine — The trial continued Friday for Jessica Trefethen, who pled not guilty to depraved indifference murder in connection to the death of her three-year-old son, Maddox, in June of 2021.
The prosecution continued calling witnesses to the stand Friday. Some of the witnesses included Trefethen's mother, Sherry Johnson, Maine State Police forensics analysts, and a Maine State Police detective who worked on the case.
As for evidence, the prosecution showed doorbell and surveillance camera videos showing Trefethen and her mother in the days that followed Maddox's death. Pictures of Maddox's clothing from the day he died were also entered as evidence. Maine State Police forensics analysts pointed to spots of blood found on his clothing and confirmed to belong to Maddox.
A two-hour audio recording was also played in its entirety. The recording was of Trefethen's first conversation with detectives once they were finally able to locate her at her mother's house, just days after Maddox's death.
In the recording, a distraught Trefethen can be heard at one point saying, "I just want my son back." The audio also revealed questions about the circumstances of her son's death as well as conditions of life at home with her other children.
A nurse who works in the emergency room at Waldo County General Hospital claimed Maddox's condition the day he was brought in was severe, with bruising all over his body as well as a number of internal injuries.
Trefethen claimed Maddox was caught and dragged by a dog leash and kicked by his older sister that day.
Caitlyn Smith, one of Trefethen's defense attorneys, said she thinks the audio recording played by prosecutors actually works in her client's favor.
"I think it shows how much she loves her children, how distraught she was about Maddox's death, and how she, too, had no idea what happened," Smith said.
Smith added her team is content with the how the proceedings have gone so far this week.
"I think today and this week as a whole has gone well, the evidence is coming in and the state has yet to prove anything that our client has done wrong," Smith said.
Testimonies in this case will continue next week at the Waldo County Judicial Center in Belfast.