Tot likely beaten to death: doctor
The pediatrician in charge of treating Meika Jordan at Alberta Children’s Hospital on the day she died told a court on Thursday the sixyearold’s injuries were the worst she had ever seen.
Meika died Nov. 14, 2011, a day after paramedics found her unconscious and without a pulse in her father and stepmother’s home on Temple Drive N. E. The couple, Spencer Jordan and Marie Magoon, are charged with first- degree murder in connection with Meika’s death.
Dr. Meagan Mahoney told Crown prosecutor Susan Pepper that Meika was in a coma and had extremely reduced brain function caused by a traumatic injury when she observed the girl in the intensive care unit that morning.
“We didn’t think it was likely her injuries were survivable,” Mahoney said.
Medical scans determined Meika also had severe abdominal injuries, including lacerations to her liver and pancreas and two bruises to her small intestine.
In addition, there were visible injuries “from head to toe,” Mahoney said.
Mahoney provided the medical evidence in the steady, clinical manner of a doctor — but her voice wavered with emotion when Pepper asked her opinion about what had caused Meika’s litany of injuries.
“It looked as though she had been beaten up. She had inflicted injuries all over her body,” said Mahoney.
“I have never seen anything like this before.”
An autopsy determined Meika died of multiple blunt force trauma. Dr. Christopher Milroy — a forensic pathologist who provided expert evidence for the Crown — testified earlier that at least five significant blows to the girl’s head, coupled with an abdominal injury that included a torn pancreas, led to swelling in her brain that eventually caused cardiac and respiratory failure.
Jordan, 29, and Magoon, 25, allegedly told paramedics who arrived at their home to treat Meika that the girl had fallen down the stairs between 10- 15 minutes beforehand.
Under cross- examination by Jordan’s lawyer, Mitch Stephensen, Mahoney said Meika’s major injuries could have been caused by blunt force trauma.
“Including a fall?” Stephensen asked.
“Including a fall,” Mahoney replied.
However, Mahoney also testified it was unlikely the degree of swelling seen on Meika’s brain could have occurred in a scenario suggested by Stephensen — a fall suffered at 7: 10 p. m. followed by a period of unconsciousness and cardiac arrest before being resuscitated by paramedics approximately 12 minutes later.
“In my opinion, she was severely injured long before 7: 10 p. m.,” Mahoney said, echoing earlier testimony by Milroy that severe trauma and the resulting swelling on Meika’s brain likely developed over a period of several hours.
The trial resumes Tuesday before Justice Rosemary Nation, who is hearing the case without a jury.