Another day in the courtroom for Dellia Castile, the woman charged with neglect in the death of her grandson, Tramelle. The 10-year-old was beaten to death in November by his father Terry Sturgis.
Two young witnesses took the stand Monday. Both are grandchildren of Dellia Castile and cousins of the victim. One is in seventh grade and the other is 11.
They lived in South Bend with Castile and Terry Sturgis and they were home the night Tramelle was killed.
They testified grandma Castile gave Uncle Terry money NOT to beat their cousins. They said Castile wanted them to stop and quoted her saying to Sturgis, "you need to stop before you kill one of the kids."
One of the children said Castile would buy cream and tend to her grandsons' injuries after beatings.
The night Tramelle was killed, one of his cousins claimed grandma was screaming, "Why did you do it? I knew it was going to happen!"
Earlier in the trial, defense attorney Anthony Luber claimed Castile and Sturgis lived separate lives and she didn't know what went on in the basement where Terry lived with his kids. Witnesses today said they regularly heard screaming in the basement, even when they were on the second floor of the house.
Other witnesses were from the Department of Child Services. They investigated the Castile and Sturgis household and said Castile seemed shocked by allegations that abuse was happening in her home.
The state is scheduled to finish bringing forward evidence tomorrow. Then it will be the defense attorney's turn. Judge Jane Miller hopes to take it to the jury by Wednesday or Thursday.
