(Photo courtesy WMBD)
By Joe Ragusa
BLOOMINGTON – Danielle Fischer, the mother of a child who was murdered in March 2013, is on trial for child endangerment.
Defense attorney Jane Foster argued in opening statements Monday morning that Fischer did her due diligence when it came to injuries Robbie Cramer, 3, suffered in the weeks leading up to his death from a bacterial infection in his abdomen. That included going to OSF PromptCare for a finger injury and using numerous remedies for what Fischer thought was the flu.
“Yes, it is a tragedy,” Foster said. “But you can’t compound the tragedy by convicting my client of something she didn’t do.”
After opening statements were made, the prosecution admitted into evidence the 911 call Fischer made in the early morning hours of March 26, 2013.
“Oh my God! Robbie’s not breathing,” Fischer yelled during the seven-minute conversation with a 911 operator. She sobbed as the audio was played.
First responder Matt Steinkoenig, one of the paramedics who responded to the 911 call, testified Monday. He said Cramer looked like a “cancer patient.”
“You could see his bones, very skeletal,” Steinkoenig said. “He had a lot of bruises on his body. He had marks up and down (his body). He just seemed like a very sick child.”
Fischer’s boyfriend at the time, Nicholas Compton, is serving a life sentence for causing the fatal injuries. Family members are expected to testify later in the week.
Joe Ragusa can be reached at joe.ragusa@cumulus.com.
