"The defendant had told us before the social workers would get there, what answers we were supposed to say," Ray Paddock said as he testified Thursday morning. "I knew if I didn't I would get in trouble."
Ray Paddock said he and other children were beaten "at least two or three times a week, sometimes everyday" by Lynn Paddock.
Lynn Paddock, 47, is on trial for the murder of her 4-year-old adopted son Sean in February of 2006. She's accused of wrapping Sean Paddock in blankets so tightly he suffocated.
On the stand, Ray Paddock recounted the morning he learned Sean had died. He described a scene in the family's living room, in which the kids, Lynn Paddock and Johnny Paddock were all seated. "My mom said, 'Sean died'," Ray Paddock tesitifed. "No emotion. It was like a dog or goat died."
Prosecutors also introduced photographs from Ray Paddock's current MySpace page online. They showed a picture that Ray has posted online of Sean Paddock on his fourth birthday. Ray Paddock was asked what caption he has written beneath that picture online. He answered simply, "It says rest in peace, little brother."
Wednesday Jurors heard graphic testimony of abuse from four other children who used to live with Paddock.
"It was miserable and hard," daughter, Kayla Paddock said.
The four children who took the stand had very similar accounts of what it was like living with their adoptive mother.
"She always beat me, whatever I did, she beat me," 11-year-old Kayla said.
Based on the judge's orders, Eyewitness News will not show the faces of 9-year-old Hanna, 10-year-old David, 11-year-old Kayla and 17-year-old Ray.
The children said Paddock forced them to jump on a mini-trampoline for hours on end, without stopping, no matter how exhausted they were.
They say she also made sure the kids did not speak.
"Lynn Paddock was putting duct tape on my [lips], not sure why though," 9-year-old Hanna said.
They say even bathroom visits were limited. Hanna explained what happened once when she went in her bed, because she was too afraid to get up.
"When I went into the room the poop that I threw on the floor, Lynn made me eat it and I almost threw up," Hanna said.
10-year-old David Voorencamp testified about another time when he got sick and vomited.
"She made me eat it," he said.
The children say they were wrapped tightly in a blanket each night before bed, which is how police say their 4-year-old brother Sean was killed.
Kayla recalls checking on her little brother the day he died.
"I felt his chest to see if he was still moving, and he wasn't breathing. I went back to the room and wrapped myself back up, scared," she said.
Throughout the emotional testimony, Lynn Paddock took notes and at times, would turn away to wipe her tears.