AUBURN – A brain specialist and a physical therapist testified Friday that Nathaniel Allen had developmental delays that were likely symptoms of an underlying brain disorder that caused his death.
Dr. Suzanne de la Monte, a neuropathologist who teaches at Brown University, went as far as to say that the boy’s brain showed no signs of an inflicted head injury. She believes he had a seizure disorder and died after having a “sudden arrest.”
De la Monte and Amanda Jones, a physical therapist who works at Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice, were called as expert witnesses for the defense in the trial of a Lisbon woman accused of killing her son.
Sarah Allen, 31, is accused of shaking her 21-month-old adopted son, Nathaniel, to death on Feb. 14, 2003.
Allen’s attorneys, Verne Paradie and Heather Seasonwein, hope to convince the jurors that the boy died as a result of an undetected brain disorder.
They hired de la Monte to study samples of the toddler’s brain and eyes, and they had Jones watch home videos of the boy when he was 12 months and 16 months old.
“A videotape is one of the most objective ways to analyze children,” Jones testified.
Jones described Nathaniel Allen as showing signs of “global developmental delays” in the videos she saw.
At 12 months old, she said, he was crawling as if he were only 7 months old. At 16 months, she continued, he was using poor foot placement as he attempted to walk.
“In essence,” Jones said, “he looked like a drunk person trying to walk.”
De la Monte’s testified that the delays were symptoms of an underlying abnormality, and she concluded that she would have not recommended the case for prosecution if she were the medical examiner in charge of the case.
Her testimony contradicted that of the state’s medical experts, including Dr. Michael Ferenc, the state’s deputy chief medical examiner. They concluded the most plausible reason for Nathaniel Allen’s death was inflicted head trauma caused by a violent shaking or jerking motion.
Testimony in the trial, which is taking place at Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn, is expected to wrap up early next week.
This is Sarah Allen’s second trial. Her first trial last June ended without a verdict because the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision.
Jurors later reported that the final vote was 11-1, with one juror holding firm to her belief that Allen was innocent. That juror told the others that she was most convinced by de la Monte’s testimony.
Jones did not testify at the first trial.
lchmelecki@sunjournal.com
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