CALGARY — A trial for a man charged in the death of his grandson has heard recordings of what appear to be the accused praying for forgiveness.
Allan Perdomo Lopez is charged with manslaughter in the July 2015 death of five-year-old Emilio Perdomo.
The Crown played 11 recordings from phone taps and probes in the family’s Calgary home and vehicle.
Sgt. Tony Acosta testified Monday that he and his colleagues listened to 200 hours of audio and zeroed in on any references to Emilio. The investigation was dubbed Operation Hope.
Acosta said he was able to identify the voices of Perdomo Lopez, the accused’d wife and their three daughters.
In one from Sept. 5, 2015, a man Acosta identified as Perdomo Lopez is heard apparently praying in Spanish in the family’s minivan, saying he ”didn’t want to kill that child.”
An English translation was not read in court, but prosecutor Vicki Faulkner asked Acosta to verify the accuracy of a written transcript.
Acosta, whose first language is Spanish, confirmed the child Perdomo Lopez was referring to was a boy, not a girl.
In another police intercept, a male voice that Acosta also identified as Perdomo Lopez can be heard weeping and saying “sorry” repeatedly in Spanish.
The trial has previously heard Emilio died of blunt force brain trauma about a week after he was rushed to hospital unconscious.
A forensic pathologist who did the boy’s autopsy testified there was not enough evidence to classify his death either an accident or a homicide. Other expert testimony for the Crown suggested Emilio’s injuries were inflicted by someone.
The trial also heard earlier that Emilio was a happy and healthy boy in Mexico before he was brought to Canada. He died five months after his arrival.
The accused’s wife, Carolina Perdomo, was originally charged in the death, but the Crown stayed a manslaughter charge against her in February.
The Crown has closed its case. The defence is to begin submissions on Wednesday.