Witness testimony underway in the trial of a Merced County man accused of killing 9-month-old son

Thursday, March 30, 2017
MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Andrew Sanchez, the man accused of killing his son Maddix Ramsour, stared straight on as he listened to the mother of his dead child give her side of the story.

Rebecca Ramsour continued her testimony; she showed pictures of her home on the day Maddix died.

According to reports, Sanchez told investigators that on March 5, 2015 he laid Maddix down for a diaper change on his daughter's bed. As he turned around to get baby wipes, he says he got distracted by his daughter, Alison. That is when he says he heard a thump and turned around to see Maddix lying motionless on the floor.

In Ramsour's testimony she said she constantly questioned Sanchez about what happened after Maddix died at a Fresno hospital, even asking if his young daughter had anything to do with the death.

In the investigator's report it claims Sanchez admits to telling a friend that his three-year-old daughter was responsible for Maddix's death and he lied to protect her.

Ramsour also said Sanchez slapped his daughter about a month prior, and she told him he should not be hitting the kids.

However, the defense questioned Ramsour about Maddix's previous falls; she admits he fell three times-- twice at her previous home when he was four and six-months-old. However, he wasn't taken to a doctor.

Defense attorneys also asked Ramsour about the baby's medical history, and Ramsour admits Maddix was behind on his wellness visits.

The pediatrician who saw Maddix in his final moments also took the stand, saying Maddix's head injury was, "The worst that I'd ever seen." She said Maddix died from a subdural hematoma, an injury she said is not common with short falls but more often seen in child abuse cases.

The witness stated Sanchez' story wasn't consistent with the severity of the injury, however, the defense stated her belief that injuries sustained from short falls were based on studies, but none she conducted, or participated in herself.

The jury will hear more testimony as the trial continues on Tuesday.
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