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Witnesses: Erika Murray Kept Children In 'Uninhabitable' Home, Called Toddler 'It'

WORCESTER (CBS) - Three employees who worked with the Department of Children and Families in 2014 and a pediatrician who examined two of Erika Murray's children testified in day two of the trial of the Blackstone mom who is accused of murdering two of her babies and severely neglecting her other kids.

DCF Social Worker Walter McClain told the court that he found Murray's three-year-old and almost five-month-old covered in filth.

"Dry urine, feces, food, Oreo cookies that were crushed up on the bed for the children to try to eat," McClain said.

Former DCF investigator, Catherine Francy, testified that Murray told her that she lied to her two oldest children and told them that they were babysitting the toddler and 5-month-old, not that they were their siblings.

Erika Murray
Erika Murray (WBZ-TV)

Francy also told the court that Murray referred to her three-year-old as "It."

"Erika presented with a flat affect. She was very calm," Francy testified.

Dr. Peter Sell examined the three-year-old and baby once they were taken out of Murray's home by DCF. He testified that both children showed signs of neglect.

Blackstone House
Erika Murray's home on St. Paul Street shortly after demolition began Oct. 21, 2014. (WBZ-TV)

"I tried to stand her up to walk her but she just kept sitting right back down. It appears she had not done a ton of walking," Sell said regarding the three-year-old, "She was not acting like I would expect a three-year-old to act."

On cross-examination, Murray's defense attorney, Keith Halpern, questioned Sell on whether the toddler's symptoms could be related to an autism diagnosis instead of neglect.

Sell agreed that some of the signs are the same.

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