Jury deliberations underway in Villa manslaughter trial
Nov 13, 2024
HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Jury deliberations wrapped up for the day in the Dixie Villa manslaughter trial. In their closing arguments, prosecutors asked jurors to use common sense, but the defense said that's not enough to prove guilt.
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Prosecutors say Dixie Denise Villa is the only person who could've given what turned out to be a deadly dose of medicine to kill three-month old Abigail Lobisch.
"Who is left alone with 4 young kids? The defendant, no one else," said Tiffany Kaeo, deputy prosecutor. "Who else but the defendant could have given the diphenhydramine? No one."
Prosecutors and the defense gave their closing arguments at Villa's trial. She was baby-sitting baby Abigail, along with three other young children, in 2019.
"The only person who needed a break from Abby on that night of February 23 is the defendant because she couldn't handle all by herself," said Kaeo.
"Denise (Villa) is not guilty, because after all these days of trial, after all of these witnesses, still no one has told us what happened," said Megan Kau, defense attorney.
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Prosecutors say villa gave baby Abigail Benadryl to get her to sleep.
But the defense says prosecutors have not said if the medicine was given orally or topically, when it was given, nor how many doses.
And Villa's attorney Megan Kau says any one of 5 people, including baby Abigail's parents, could've given her the medicine.
"All had access to Abigail Lobisch," said Kau. "All could have easily administered the dose or the doses to Abigail Lobisch. There's just amount, same amount of evidence against Denise (Villa) as there against these 5 individuals."
"At the end of the day ladies and gentlemen, the bottom line is no infant and definitely not Abby, should have had any diphenhydramine in their system," said Kaeo. "It is not for infants. And there is no way around that."
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Judge Faauuga Tootoo reminded jurors the state must prove Villa is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.