Goforth trial Day 5: Girl, 4, who died was just 'skin and bone': doctor

The Goforth trial in Regina wrapped up an emotionally charged week on Friday, hearing from a pediatrician who attended to the four-year-old girl who died in 2012.

On day five of the second-degree murder trial of Tammy and Kevin Goforth,Dr. Abdulhafid Ali Essalah told court the girl was in cardiac arrest when the couple brought her to the emergency room on Aug. 1 of that yearand was not breathing.

"My goal at that time was just to bring her back to life,"Essalah said. He said she wascovered in bruises and in kidney failure.

Healso described her as emaciated:"Just skin and bone."

The girl was intubated so a machine could breathe for her and Essalahbegan cardiac massage with his fingers.

He testified it took 15 minutes to get her heart beating, and it did start beating, but it was too late the girl was essentially brain dead.

The girl's mother was in the courtroom. She cried softly throughout the testimony.

Police called to hospital

Also testifying Fridaywas Const.Kayla Dunford, whowas called to the General Hospital for a report of an assault.

When she arrived, she told court, she saw the 4-year-old lying in a bed with nurses and doctors around her.

"She was tiny," she said.

She had multiple bruises and abrasions all over her body, includingher forehead, the bridge of her nose, chin, collarbone, knees and back.

The jury has heard that blood tests indicated the girl had been sick for a while before she was brought in.

Jurorshave already learned that the four-year-oldwas suffering from malnutrition and dehydration.

She was taken off life support and died on Aug. 2, 2012.

The Goforthsare also accused of injuring her younger sister, 2, who was also in their care.

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Both children had been in the care of the Goforths since late 2011.

Key events prior to trial of Regina couple accused of killing a girl and harming her younger sister

9 years ago

Duration 1:00

Here is a timeline of key events that occurred prior to the trial of Kevin and Tammy Goforth. The Regina couple is charged with killing a girl, 4, and harming her sister.

In previous testimony, jurors heard that the two children were in seven different homes in 18 months after being taken into care by officials in 2010.

The trial before Justice Ellen Gunn and a juryis expected to continue for another two weeks.