SAN DIEGO (CN) - Public defenders for two San Diego parents on trial for charges relating to the death of their infant attempted to poke holes in the testimony of a social worker who was assigned to help them.

Elizabeth Ucman, 26, and Brandon Copeland, 25, are both accused of murdering their four-month-old daughter, Delilah. Police found her not breathing and unresponsive in the couple's apartment on the night of Nov. 9, 2021. She was pronounced dead at a hospital later that night. 

Copeland and Ucman's public defenders have portrayed the pair as incompetent parents who were incapable of helping themselves, let alone a new baby. Video footage from the police body cameras the night Delilah died showed their apartment filled with garbage, dirty diapers, pet feces and spoiled food.

The public defenders have sought to shift some of the blame onto the social workers who were assisting the family. 

A social worker for San Diego Youth Services who had been working with Copeland testified on Tuesday that he made multiple attempts to contact the parents - 22 and 21 years old at the time - via phone and drop-in visits about a month leading up to Delilah's death, but he received limited responses. The youth services coordinator, Byron Fagan, said he began working with Copeland in the summer of 2020, about a year before Ucman gave birth to Delilah in July 2021.

Fagan testified that he helped the parents with rental assistance, drove them to some appointments, and, on Sept. 10, 2021, replaced a soiled mattress with a clean one in their apartment. Delilah seemed healthy on that date, he said.

A family member reportedly took Delilah to the emergency room in September, Copeland told police in body camera footage shown to jurors Monday. 

Between Oct. 4 and Nov. 17, 2021, Copeland evaded contact from Fagan, the social worker said. The family was reportedly in Los Angeles following the death of a relative there during this period. 

Fagan testified he was worried for the family during this time. He said he made numerous case notes about his conversations and attempts to reach Copeland. However, he said he made some of the notes days later and some only after he spoke to police detectives on the phone following Delilah's death.

Copeland and Ucman's attorneys blasted Fagan for his note-taking practices. Deputy Public Defender Courtney Cutter at one point accused Fagan of lying in the notes to hide shortcomings. 

It's best practice to take notes immediately, but it's not always practical, Fagan told Deputy District Attorney Franciesca Balerio.

"There's a lot of homeless youth and a lot of work to do, and most of my day was out in the field," Fagan said. "Not documenting in a day can turn into a week."

Last week, Cutter accused another social worker who testified, Danielle Carillo of the County of San Diego's Child and Family Well-being Department, of fabricating notes about the family.

Attorneys also cross-examined Ucman's boss from a Spirit Halloween store, where she worked as a cashier. Cynthia Pillado, an assistant manager at the store, told Deputy Public defender Anthony Parker that Ucman was childlike, seemingly autistic and sometimes had poor hygiene. 

However, Pillado told prosecuting attorney Balerio that Ucman was still capable of completing the tasks required for her job. 

Pillado also testified that Ucman told her she didn't know she was pregnant until she went into labor.

The two women bonded over motherhood, and Pillado gave her advice on how to care for Delilah, including changing her baby formula, she testified. Pillado said she also often drove Ucman to work because the two lived near each other.

Ucman later introduced Delilah to Pillado. 

"She was really small," Pillado said.

On Monday, jurors saw body camera footage of first responders providing first-aid to Delilah, who was emaciated and pale, the night she died. Jurors also saw surveillance footage of Copeland and Ucman while they were in police custody discussing their guilt and potentially fleeing if they were allowed to post bail.  

The ongoing trial is presided over by Superior Court Judge Robert Amador. 

The two defendants are being tried together, but each has a separate jury. They face 25 years to life in prison.

Source: Courthouse News Service