Head injury was not caused by falling into wall, expert testifies

Beverly Littlecrow ’s fatal head injury could have been caused by her head hitting a wall, but it would require more force than simply falling into it, a Saskatoon neurologist testified.

Dr. Paul Masiowski examined Littlecrow, who died from a subdural hematoma — bleeding between the brain and the skull — after she was found unconscious in her Kinley home on Jan. 24, 2016.

Her boyfriend, 45-year-old Gabriel Joseph Faucher, is accused of causing Littlecrow ’s death during a domestic assault. His judge-alone manslaughter trial began Monday in Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench.

During two separate interviews played in court, Faucher told police the last thing he remembered before Littlecrow died is hearing a bang and feeling her fall on top of him in bed.

There was a dent in the drywall above their bed, and Faucher said he reasoned Littlecrow must have hit her head on the wall.

“If that was sufficient to kill someone, we would see a lot more people who died like that,” Masiowski testified on Friday.

He said if Littlecrow’s head did hit the wall, it would have happened before, not after, she fell. This is because her head injury and the dent would have required significant force, he added.

Littlecrow suffered a prior brain injury from an assault in 2003, according to medical records presented in court. Defence lawyer Andrew Mason asked Masiowski if it would be easier for someone to get a subdural hematoma if they already have space between their brain and their skull. Not necessarily, Masiowski said.

Mason also asked if it’s possible to fall in a bathroom, walk to another room and then essentially pass out. Court heard Littlecrow had balance issues due to her brain injury.

Masiowski said the fatal blow was something the victim didn’t get up and walk away from.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Monday, when Littlecrow’s mother is expected to testify.