TUCSON, Ariz. — Five years after a disturbing discovery of a little boy's bones inside a toy box his mother is on trial for murder. Raquel Barreras is facing one count of first degree murder for the death of her three-year-old son in 2014.
"It took Roman a long time to die, it took him a long time to starve to death, and she watched him do it," said the Pima County Prosecution.
With the jury now seated, lawyers made their opening statements Wednesday morning in the trial.The prosecution gave their statement first, speaking about symbols of childhood that represent joy for so many, have turned into symbols much darker. "Roman was kept in a play pen and instead of being a place that protected him it was a cage, it was a cell, and a Fisher Price toy box that was his tomb," said the State.
The skeletal remains of Roman were found by a landlord inside a toy chest left behind after the Barreras family moved from their Tucson home.The defense claims Barreras did feed Roman and that at the time Child Protective Services had already decided she was unfit to care for him by herself. In Addition they claim she was overwhelmed with her own substance abuse problems and that no other family members stepped forward to help.
"Raquel did not work out her issues, she was not capable of taking care of these children" the defense explained.
The trial is expected to last 11 days. Roman's father, Martin Barreras is scheduled to go on trial in August for First Degree Murder.
