4-year-old girl suffered 25 blows in hours before death, father's murder trial hears

Nine days before her fifth birthday,RebekahOluwafemi was beaten to death, her small body struck over and over again, at least 25 times, until she collapsed, unconscious with a catastrophicspinalinjury, a judge heard on Wednesday.

The girl's father,Oluwatosin Oluwafemi, is on trial in Calgary on a charge of second-degree murder. Prosecutors say Rebekah was under her father's care on Dec. 19, 2014, the day she died.

On Wednesday, Dr. Christopher Milroy, a forensic pathologist, testified about the report he prepared in the case, detailing the fatal injuries suffered byRebekah.

Bruises and abrasions coveredRebekah's body. She also suffered a"devastating" spinal injury, said Milroy.

The injuries could have been caused by punches and/or kicks, said thedoctor.

Bruises on top of bruises

Milroy, who specializes in child deaths, was tasked with reviewingRebekah's autopsy results. In preparing his report, he examined her original autopsy report, photos of the child's body, microscopic slides, investigative notes and statements from the victim's parents.

Oluwafemi told authorities his daughter fell down the stairs, which Milroy said was not consistent with her injuries.

• Father on trial in daughter's death didn't call 911 for 40 minutes although she wasn't breathing, court hears

"This is not what I would expect from a simple fall," said Milroy. "This is much more force than that."

Milroy explained thefatal injury would have involved a blow or impact toRebekah's head and neck similar to what would happen if someone fell head first from a height greater than their own.

Rebekah's injuries go "way beyond what I would expect to see in the normal activity of a child," said the doctor.

Bruising on hands could be defensive wounds

Scars covered Rebekah's head, ears, arms and legs. There were bruises on her neck, torso,chest, back, arms, legs, feet and hands.

Milroy said the injuries to the child's hands were possiblydefensive wounds.

The doctor estimated the four-year-old suffered four to six blows to the head, up to 10 on herarms and at least 10 to the torso and back.

In fact, there were bruises on top of bruises. Milroy found areas whereRebekah had two- to three-day-old bruises with fresh ones on top.

Defence lawyers Michael Bates and Rebecca Snukal have not yet had the chance to cross-examine Milroy.

No 911 call for 40 minutes

On the day the girl died, her mother,Itunu Oluwafemi,left for work around 8:30 a.m.

Around noon, a furnace repairman showed up at theOluwafemi's home and is expected to testify that he observed Rebekah in the family roomplayingquietly.

Just after 3 p.m.,Oluwatosin called his wife, wholeftwork and arrived home about 20 minutes later. There, she found her husband performing CPR on their daughter.

By 3:40 p.m., paramedics arrived at the house. They found the girl unconscious, not breathing and in cardiac arrest.

Rebekah was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead at 4:43 p.m.

The three-week trial is being presided over byCourt of Queen's Bench Justice Suzanne Bensler.