Autopsies Discussed At Creato Murder Trial
By David Madden and Cleve Bryan
CAMDEN, NJ. (CBS) -- Medical evidence is now in play in the trial of David Creato, charged with the murder of his 3-year-old son a year and a half ago.
Jurors heard from Doctor Gerald Feigin, the Camden County Medical Examiner who performed an autopsy on Brendan and participated in two others in the days after the child was found dead along the banks of the Cooper River a half mile from his father's Haddon Township apartment.
At first, no findings were made. Two months after Brendan died, Feigin determined the death was caused by "homicidal violence of undetermined ideology". Translation? It was murder but how he died was not clear.
Feigin offered a number of possible answers, one of which was suffocation.
The doctor noted that the boy's brain had swelled, suggesting the brain might have been deprived of oxygen.
Defense Attorney Richard Fuschino questioned the thoroughness of the autopsies, asking Feigin why a complete toxicology test was not conducted. Feigin said he believed it was unnecessary.
Jurors later heard from Brendan's pediatrician who testified the child was in generally good health during his life, but was treated for asthma starting in March of 2015.