Judge Rules New Testimony Will be Heard in Daycare Death Case

A Lake County judge on Monday morning ruled he will allow new testimony to be heard in the case of a former daycare worker who is accused of killing a 16-month-old Deerfield boy at the now-closed Minee Subee in the Park day care center in Lincolnshire in 2009 , the Chicago Tribune reports. 

In 2012, Melissa Calusinski was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Benjamin Kingan at the Linconlshire day care center in January of 2009. She is currently serving a 31-year prison sentence for the conviction.

Attorneys for  Melissa Calusinski, 29, of Carpentersville, contend the new evidence shows Kingan actually died from a previous injury and not from injuries caused by Calusinski, according to the Chicago Tribune. Calusiski was found guilty of first-degree murder in Kingan’s death in 2011 but defense attorneys are hoping the new evidence will reverse that conviction.
During her trial, prosecutors claim Calusinski admitted to causing the boy's death, but she says the confession was coerced.

Calusinski claims her admission came after a nine-hour interrogation and that she had denied causing his death 79 times before finally admitting to it.

Calusinski's lawyers also say new X-rays of Benjamin show he might have died from a pre-existing head injury and not a skull fracture caused by Calusinski.

Joe Vince contributed to this article

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