York, 32, is on trial for murder, child endangerment and felonious assault against Rylee, a Germantown child who died Nov. 15, 2013, after being declared brain dead two days earlier.
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Rylee reportedly was acting normally the morning of Nov. 13, 2013, when she ate breakfast, watched TV, played and was acting normally before her mother went to work.
Vavul-Roediger said that by that night, “this child had sustained significant head trauma that was not accidental in nature,” adding that, “It clearly raised significant suspicion and concern that the child had been physically maltreated.”
Defense attorneys said in opening statements that their medical witness found that there is evidence that Rylee had previous head injuries that may have contributed to her death.
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In viewing autopsy photos along with jurors, Vavul-Roediger said there was unequivocal evidence of multiple impacts to the head.
Montgomery County assistant prosecutor John Amos asked Vavul-Roediger if Rylee — with the injuries shown — could function normally as she did before being left alone with York for three or four hours.
“After she sustained the head trauma from which she ultimately died, absolutely not,” the doctor said, adding she based her opinion on “years of clinical practice of seeing children with various types of head trauma and clearly recognizing that this child had an inoperable, severe head injury that was ultimately not only life-threatening, but fatal.”
On cross examination, Vavul-Roediger said brain swelling is a secondary effect of traumatic injury.
Prosecutors rested after Vavul-Roediger testified. Defense attorneys said their first witness was not available until 1 p.m. Friday, so Judge Mary Katherine Huffman excused jurors until then.
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