Mother testifies in child abuse case

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Kilah Davenport's mother broke down in tears Monday as attorneys showed her pictures of a room where police said her daughter was abused two years ago.
 
Kilah's stepfather is now on trial, accused of the crime.
 
When the prosecutor showed Kirby Davenport a picture of a hole in the wall at her home, she fell apart. 
 
She said it was the first time she'd seen it. 
 
Prosecutors said the hole was made when Joshua Houser slammed Kilah's head into the wall.
 
Davenport told a jury she met Houser on Facebook and that they knew each other two months before he moved in with her and her parents. 
 
Davenport, her new husband and Kilah moved to a home May 16, 2012, in Indian Trail.
 
Kirby Davenport testified that on that day, she went to work in the morning, leaving Kilah in Houser's care.
 
She said that night he frantically called her because Kilah had been injured.
 

She arrived at the hospital moments before Kilah had emergency brain surgery. 
 
She testified Houser told her Kilah had an accident, so he sent her to the bathroom.
 
He said he heard a thud, and when he checked on her, she was limp and unresponsive.
 
He called 911 and said he punched a hole in the wall because he was frustrated that the dispatcher could not understand him.
 
The defense asked why she told investigators Houser did not have a temper.
 
She said she did not recall giving any statements to investigators. She only remembered signing a release that allowed them to search her home.

WSOC