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Photos and videos showed Sanna Cunningham’s health decline.(Pool)<\/p>\nPHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 The murder trial started on Wednesday for a former Phoenix Police officer and his wife who are accused of killing their 7-year-old daughter in February 2017.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors said Germayne and Lisa Cunningham had a history of abuse and neglect that led to the murder of Sanaa Cunningham.<\/p>\n
The defense said the child had physical and behavioral issues, and this was a tragic death.<\/p>\n
What was shown in the courtroom during opening statements was heartbreaking, as photos and videos revealed a seemingly healthy 7-year-old Sanna\u2019s decline from October 2016 to February 2017. She was in the care of Germayne, her father, and Lisa, who was Sanaa\u2019s stepmom.<\/p>\n
Photos and videos showed Sanna Cunningham’s health decline.(Pool)<\/p>\n
The parents claimed Sanaa harmed herself and her siblings as a result of schizophrenia and other mental health and physical disorders. <\/p>\n
They admitted to keeping her in the laundry room and garage and putting gloves and goggles on her because she had bowel control problems.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors said in February 2017, Sanaa was not breathing properly and was in a zombie-like state, and they argued that the parents waited too long to take the child to urgent care.<\/p>\n
Sanaa died from complications of sepsis. The autopsy listed the manner of death as unknown. <\/p>\n
Prosecutors said a forensic exam of Lisa and Germayne\u2019s cellphones revealed the true nature of what they put the child through, and led to 10 counts of child abuse and one count of first-degree murder.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey discovered references to locking Sanaa in the garage, zip-tying her to a water container. They discovered references to zip-tying her in other areas of the home, locking her in the laundry room,\u201d said prosecutor Joshua Clark. <\/p>\n
Clark talked about the moment Germayne got home and finally took his daughter to urgent care, then the hospital. <\/p>\n
\u201cNurse Thomas Stevens came forward, seeing a person in a police uniform carrying a child covered in marks and bruises, listless, unresponsive, and says, essentially, \u2018Oh my God, you\u2019ve rescued an abused child.\u2019 And Germayne responded, \u2018No, this is my child,\u2019\u201d Clark said in court. <\/p>\n
On Wednesday afternoon, Germayne\u2019s defense team gave their opening statements and said Germayne had no idea his daughter had an infection and believed her symptoms were side effects of a new medication she was given that they expected to happen, per the doctor who prescribed it. <\/p>\n
His defense team said he relied on Sanaa\u2019s team of doctors for how to care for her many mental health and medical issues and that witnesses will testify to how involved a parent and caretaker he was.<\/p>\n
\u201cGermayne Cunningham is not a doctor. He has no stethoscope, he doesn\u2019t have a white jacket, and he has no medical degree. Yet here we are. Because Germayne Cunningham, a father, did not see what even doctors missed, a silent infection that became deadly, and they call that murder. Germayne Cunningham did not murder his daughter,\u201d said defense attorney Natalee Segal. <\/p>\n
The defense said the detectives never interviewed Sanaa\u2019s doctors.<\/p>\n
\u201cOfficers, who are also not doctors, took one look at a dead 7-year-old and decided her father murdered her. You just heard evidence related to the most serious charges in this case. Germayne Cunningham did not intentionally or knowingly delay medical care for his daughter. He did not murder her,\u201d Segal said. <\/p>\n
Because Lisa has her own defense attorneys, they will give their opening statements on Thursday morning. <\/p>\n
This is going to be an exceptionally long trial. While the death penalty is no longer on the table for Lisa and Germayne, the judge still expects this to go to the end of March 2026.<\/p>\n
We know there will be many witnesses, including Sanaa\u2019s siblings, biological mother, Department of Child Safety workers, teachers, and medical professionals. <\/p>\n
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