A woman accused of beating her 3-year-old daughter to death was angry that the girl wet herself and had gone into the kitchen in search of food, prosecutors said Monday in opening statements at her trial.
Katlyn Marin, 27, is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of Brielle Gage. Her lawyer said someone else killed Brielle.
Prosecutors said the Nashua woman assaulted Brielle several times during Thanksgiving week in 2014 and Brielle died shortly after being rushed to a hospital. An autopsy determined she died of blunt-force injuries.
Prosecutors said the girl had bruises from head to toe and suffered more than 50 injuries, WMUR reported.
“She inflicted this brutal and cruel attack on her 3-year-old daughter because Brielle wet herself at night and because Brielle went to the kitchen looking for food,” Assistant Attorney General Patrick Queenan said. “Instead of consoling Brielle in the middle of the night, the defendant became enraged and attacked Brielle, delivering blow after blow.”
Prosecutors had said Marin felt strong hostility toward Brielle, telling police the child “was going to be with me forever because of her problems, because she’s delayed.” Marin told police she was going to “die an old lady” with her daughter, prosecutors said.
Marin’s lawyer, Justin Shepherd, has argued that her former boyfriend might have been responsible for the toddler’s death. He said Monday that the question isn’t whether a homicide was committed, but by whom.
The trial is expected to last 10 days. Marin opted for a bench trial, meaning a judge will decide her guilt or innocence.