In July 2010, Teghan Skiba was admitted to the hospital by then-21-year-old Jonathan Richardson after he claimed she had fallen off the bed. However, doctors found she had cuts, bruises, and bite marks on her body. She died days later.
Richardson is accused of beating and sexually assaulting the girl for 10 days while her mother, Helen Roxanne Reyes, was out-of-state for Army Reserves training.
In court Friday, prosecutors showed photos of the little girl with a black eye she allegedly got from Richardson about a month before her death.
Reyes said she almost broke up with her boyfriend over the incident, but later decided to stay.
The couple lived with Skiba inside an air conditioned shed behind Richardson's grandparents' home on the outskirts of Smithfield near Brogden. There was no running water, no bathroom, and just a single air mattress on the floor to sleep on.
It was there where the girl spent the last days of her life.
A video of the girl inside the shed allegedly showed her begging Richardson not to hurt her.
Richardson' defense team objected Friday to it being shown, but sources tell ABC11 that the video shows the 4-year-old against a wall begging for Richardson not to hurt her, and telling him she won't go to the bathroom accidently anymore.
Besides the photo of Skiba with a black eye, the jury did see a picture of the girl holding a beer and a cigarette in her hands.
Reyes said she did not know Richardson was joking when he sent her the photo.
On Thursday, jurors learned Reyes knew about some of the abuse her daughter endured before the actual crime had even occurred.
Reyes told jurors about one incident where her daughter had got a cut on her head when Richardson was taking care of her while she was at the store. "He had told me that he had whipped her for throwing up on his chair," she said.
Reyes admitted she was wrong to leave Skiba in Richardson's care.
"I never should have left her alone, I made a mistake...I live with this every day of my life, I miss her every single day. Every day I wish I could hold her," she said. "I was wrong...I see it."
Since Skiba's death, Reyes has had another child, a now 8-month-old girl.
Reyes has been free on bond since her 2010 arrest on felony negligent child abuse causing serious bodily harm in connection with her daughter's death.
Prosecutors revealed to the jury Thursday that Reyes has rejected any and all plea deal offers made to her by the state. She is currently awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, Richardson is charged with first-degree murder, and felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against him.
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