At trial, there's no mention of death
PLYMOUTH: Day care director could get jail, fine
Cecil Angel
Detroit Free Press
Oct. 31--The director of the Childtime Learning Center appeared to accept the explanation from 2-year-old Allison Newman's foster mother that the scratches and bruises on the child's body were from a fight she had with another toddler, a former employee of the child care center testified Tuesday.
Jacqueline Hadwin of Westland, the director of Childtime, didn't report the injuries to the Michigan Child Protective Services agency in July 2006.
On Sept. 22, 2006, Allison died of injuries police say were caused by her foster mother, Carol Ann Poole, in their Canton home.
Poole is charged with felony murder, involuntary manslaughter and first-degree child abuse.
Hadwin is on trial in 35th District Court in Plymouth on a misdemeanor charge of failing to report suspected child abuse. If convicted, she could be sentenced to up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine.
On Tuesday, the second day of the trial, it was a delicate dance for Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Lora Weingarden, defense attorneys Todd Flood and Gerald Evelyn, and witnesses to obey Judge Ronald Lowe's order not to say anything before the jury about Allison's death on the chance that it could prejudice the case.
At one point, Flood asked for a mistrial during testimony from Melissa Gunn, a former employee, when she questioned as to why she was upset Hadwin did not take her suspicions of child abuse seriously.
"Why were you upset?" Weingarden asked.
Gunn said, "I felt events could have been stopped had it been reported."
In his cross-examination of two former employees, Evelyn asked why the women didn't do more if they thought Allison was being abused and why nothing was documented at the time.
Why didn't they tell the assistant director or the girl's father, Alan Poole, of the suspected child abuse, he asked.
"I thought I did what I could do," said former teacher Cheryl Majeske.
Contact CECIL ANGEL at 313-223-4531 or cangel@freepress.com.