Girl ‘pale, ghostlike’ when help arrived

Firefighters and paramedics testify at manslaughter trial of babysitter Maria Sosa

Allison Tucker’s family members clutched each other on a courtroom bench as first responders spoke about how they tried to revive the toddler, who lay “cold” and “ghostly pale” on the hardwood floor of her babysitter’s apartment, the day she died: July 4, 2013.

The scene was repeatedly described in testimony from firefighters and paramedics on Monday, when the trial of Maria Sosa for manslaughter in the child’s death began at a downtown courthouse.

“I was personally a little startled,” said Zdenek Pesek, a critical care paramedic with 27 years’ experience. “She was very pale, ghostlike and very cold.”

Six witnesses — three firefighters and three paramedics — described arriving at the Sheppard Ave. apartment where Allison Tucker was being looked after. The court heard details of the first aid given as she lay naked and not breathing on the living room floor, shortly after being left alone in the bathtub and found vomiting and unresponsive when her babysitter returned.

At about 12:30 p.m., the girl was taken to North York General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She was less than a month shy of her third birthday.

Sosa, charged with manslaughter for unlawfully causing her death, pleaded not guilty on Monday.

Allison’s death was originally reported as a drowning. The Crown told the court that a forensic pathologist didn’t determine a cause of death, but found the child had internal injuries to her head and lungs.

Defence lawyers Breese Davies and Owen Goddard are arguing Allison’s death was nothing more than a “tragic accident,” according to a case summary.

Sosa met Allison’s mother, Amanda Tucker, at work in 2008, according to agreed facts in the case. After her second son was born, Sosa decided to stay at home to care for her children, and started babysitting Allison most weekdays after April 2012.

On the day of Allison’s death, the girl was dropped off as usual about 7 a.m. Four hours later, at 11:17 a.m., Sosa responded to a text from Allison’s mother, telling her that she was taking the kids to go play at a nearby park, the court was told Monday.

Sosa later told police that Allison suddenly needed a bath because she had urinated on herself, the court heard. Sosa ran a bath for Allison, left to get clean clothes and returned to find the little girl unresponsive and lying on her back in the tub, the court was told. She then called 911.

On a recording of the call played in court Monday, Sosa is heard telling the 911 operator that Allison was “taking a bath and then she started vomiting,” and that she was “choking on her own vomit.”

The operator repeatedly asked whether the child was conscious and breathing, and insisted that Sosa fol- low her instructions.

“This is very important, ma’am,” the operator is heard saying. “Ma’am, I can save your child’s life if you listen to me. You idiot.”

First responders were on scene within minutes, after firefighters jimmied open the locked front door of the building lobby and rushed to the second-floor apartment, according to testimony from various witnesses.

Adam Krosel said he was the first firefighter to enter the apartment, and saw the little girl on the floor naked, with fecal matter between her legs. He said he started chest compressions, while a paramedic who arrived around the same time kept the toddler’s airway open. Other witnesses testified that a breathing bag was placed over the girl’s mouth, while a monitor showed that her heart wasn’t beating.

Fire Capt. Mark Tratnik told the court first responders were in the apartment for about 25 minutes before Allison was taken to hospital.

Stephanie Hins, a paramedic who was among the first on the scene, told the court she remembers speaking with Sosa as other responders cared for Allison. She testified that, though it wasn’t noted in the paramedics’ reports on the incident, Sosa told her she had left Allison alone in the bathtub for 10 minutes.

Davies, Sosa’s defence lawyer, brought out a transcript from Hins’ police interview two weeks after Allison died, when she said that Sosa told her the child had only been alone for one minute. Hins testified that she believes Sosa had indeed indicated the child was alone for 10 minutes.

The trial resumes Tuesday morning.

“Ma’am, I can save your child’s life if you listen to me. You idiot.” 911 OPERATOR