This case study will discuss the murder of three-year-old Jeremiah Salazar by his stepmother while his father slept just a few feet away. The investigation revealed that hours prior to the 911 call, the stepmother's Google history showed searches related to strangulation and child fatalities. This presentation will walk attendees through the crime scene and identify the evidence used to link her to the case. Neither the father nor stepmother ever confessed to hurting the child and the stepmother never even spoke to detectives during a custodial interview. She was eventually charged with Injury to a Child. Prosecutors spent months preparing for a trial and just days before trial, she pled guilty and will serve 20 years. This presentation will illustrate what detailed forensics and teamwork can accomplish.
Learning Objectives:
Recognize complications ADAs face while trying to prove a case based solely on forensic evidence.
Identify examples of what teamwork amongst many disciplines can accomplish.
Describe complications that detectives and CSIs are faced with when the parent is the suspect.
Discuss the benefits of downloading and extracting Google search histories.
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