Jerice Hunter trial: daughter testifies against mother
One of Jerice Hunter's daughters took the stand Thursday, reluctantly testifying against her own mother, Jerice Hunter.
Hunter is accused of killing her 5-year-old daughter Jhessye Shockley.
Months after Jhessye was reported missing, one of Hunter's daughters came forward.
She told the jury about the last time she saw her 5-year-old sister alive.
The daughter did not want to be in court to testify against her own mother. She's now 17, but was 13 when her little sister went missing.
It was an emotional day in court as Hunter's daughter cried, and stopped to hug her mom before she took the stand.
"I always made her mad," said the daughter.
"You always made her mad?" asked the prosecutor.
"I always made my mom mad so it was kind of my fault because I shouldn't have made her mad," said the daughter.
Hunter's daughter told the jury that her mother would punish Jhessye by taking her into the master bedroom, spanking her, and then forcing the 5-year-old into the closet.
"I went in there, and she was crying; she was just hurt I guess," she said.
"Describe how she was hurt," said the prosecutor.
"She had um like black stuff coming out of her eyes like glue, and when I, like she wanted me to take her to the bathroom, but she couldn't really walk that much, so I took her to the bathroom," said the daughter.
She said she would secretly sneak Jhessye food and water, but only did that a few times. She last saw Jhessye in the closet, a week before she was reported missing.
"She looked like she was like weak, and like she was still moving, but she wasn't really moving that much," she said.
Hunter's daughter continued to defend her mom.
"You guys are trying to make my mom a bad person. She's not a bad person. That is what you're trying to do; she's not a bad person. Just because you get spankings or something, that doesn't make her a bad person. If she gets angry, that doesn't make her a bad person. So you guys need to stop," said the daughter.
Across the courtroom and in front of the jury, Hunter then told her daughter she loved her.