Day 7 Goforth murder trial: Forensic expert, nephew testifies

The Goforth murder trial has seen some disturbing photographs entered into evidence and now a DNA expert is being called upon to draw connections to the accused and the two little girls at the heart of the case.

On Tuesday, day seven of a trial that's supposed to last three weeks, the Crown's first witness wasPeter McLaren, a recently retiredforensic DNAspecialist with the RCMP.

• LIVE BLOG: CBC reports from the Goforth trial

Kevin and Tammy Goforth are accused in the death of a four-year-old girlin their care. They're also accused ofcausing injuries to her two-year-old sister.

Under questioning from the Crown prosecutor,McLarenspoke abouthis analysisof items seized from the Goforth home after the two girls were admitted to hospital.

Those itemsinclude pajama pants, shirts, a piece of cardboard, a strip of fabric, tape and a cargo strap. Theitems were introduced into evidence at the beginning of the trial.

McLaren said a piece oftape with hair on it matched Tammy Goforth and the older girl, whilethe pajama pants with duct tape returned DNAfrom the older girl and Kevin Goforth.

The cargo strap retrieved from the home also had a match for the older sister and the cardboard matched the younger girl.

Nephew called as witness

In the afternoon, the court heard testimony fromKevin and Tammy Goforth's nephew, who described two visits to the Goforth house in 2012.

He said the girls were often locked in their room, and he didn't see them eat during either visit.

He was asked by the crown about a particular incident where the boy was playing ball and found feces in a corner of the basement.

The boy said that when he told Tammy Goforth what he found, she taped the older girl's hands with clear tape.

In cross-examination the defense challenged the boy on how he knew that the girls were locked in the bedroom during his stay. They asked him whether he could see through the bedroom door.

Tammy Goforth's lawyer said to him that he didn't see it, to which the boyanswered 'Yes, I did."

Previous testimonies

On Monday, court heard from SharonLeibel, a physician who handles suspected child abuse cases, whodescribed multiplebruises, cuts scabsand other injuries on the girl's face, head,neck, armpits and legs when she was examined at the hospital in 2012.

Court heard previously that the girlwas suffering from malnutrition and dehydration andwas in cardiac arrest when she arrived at the hospital. Shewas taken off life support about a day later, on Aug. 2, 2012.

• RELATED:Goforth trial told of litany of injuries on girl, 4

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Key events prior to trial of Regina couple accused of killing a girl and harming her younger sister

9 years ago

Duration 1:00

Here is a timeline of key events that occurred prior to the trial of Kevin and Tammy Goforth. The Regina couple is charged with killing a girl, 4, and harming her sister.

In previous testimony, jurors heard that the two children were in seven different homes in 18 months after being taken into care by officials in 2010.

The trial before Queen's BenchJustice Ellen Gunn and a juryis expected to continue through this week and the next.