Krisla Rezireksyon Kris said she provided "tender loving care" to her daughter in the days before the child was found dead
NEWARK -- In the days before her 8-year-old daughter, Christiana Glenn, was found dead in the family's Irvington apartment in 2011, Krisla Rezireksyon Kris said she provided "tender loving care" to the child.
During a video-taped statement played for jurors on Thursday at Rezireksyon Kris's trial on murder and related charges, Rezireksyon Kris told police the child had fallen while taking a bath two days before her death.
"I'm not gonna say she was walking a hundred percent," she said. "I'm not gonna say that, but she was walking fine."
The following day, when Christiana's leg appeared "swollen" and she had trouble walking, Rezireksyon Kris said she applied "cornmeal and salt" to the leg and wrapped it in bandages.
"You could say there were times she was crying," Rezireksyon Kris said.
Then on the morning of May 22, 2011, Rezireksyon Kris said she bathed Christiana and brushed her teeth, and they prayed and ate. Christiana was "fine, laughing, giggling," Rezireksyon Kris said.
But after Christiana had laid down to take a nap, Rezireksyon Kris said she called the child's name around 11 a.m. and didn't get an answer. Rezireksyon Kris said she approached the child to wake her up, but found she was not breathing and had no pulse.
Rezireksyon Kris said she, her two younger children and her roommate, Myriam Janvier, prayed over Christiana's body for an hour to 90 minutes. Since Christiana was then still unresponsive, Rezireksyon Kris said she went outside to a payphone and called 911.
"I was like, 'She can't breathe. She can't breathe,'" Rezireksyon Kris recalled saying to the 911 operator.
Rezireksyon Kris recounted those details in her interview with two detectives in the hours after her daughter died in the Chancellor Avenue apartment. A medical examiner later determined the girl died from severe malnutrition and an untreated broken femur.
In addition to being charged with murder in Christiana's death, Rezireksyon Kris, 34, is accused of abusing and neglecting her two younger children, 7-year-old Christina and 6-year-old Solomon. Authorities have said they were starved and sustained fractures that went untreated. The three children also were tied to radiators, authorities said.
Janvier, 27, also has been charged in the case, but she is expected to be tried separately at a later date.
During Rezireksyon Kris's trial, her attorney, Adrien Moncur, has argued she suffers from "diminished capacity" and did not have the requisite state of mind to be found guilty of the charges. Moncur also has stressed the role of her pastor, Emanyel Rezireksyon Kris, and suggested that he had cast a spell over the two women.
Rezireksyon Kris legally changed her name from Venette Ovilde in order to match the pastor's name, according to Moncur. The children's names also were changed to Kristiana, Kristina and Solomon Rezireksyon Kris, according to trial testimony.
Copy of a 2006 photo of Christiana Glenn, looking at her reflection in a mirror before attending a family wedding as a flower girl. Eight-years-old Christiana Glenn, (now called Kristiana Rezireksyon Kris.) was found dead from malnutrition and a broken leg. Her mother, Venette Ovilde (Krisla Rezireksyon Kris), has been charged with the death of her daughter. Saddle Brook, NJ 6/3/11 McCoy Family Photo On Thursday, Rezireksyon Kris's video-taped statement was played during the testimony of Sgt. Michael Davidson of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, one of the detectives who interviewed her.
During the statement, the detectives indicated the three children looked frail, but Rezireksyon Kris said they were healthy. She said the children did not eat meat and followed a diet during the week that included vegetables, bread and beans. They fasted on the weekends by only eating soup, she said.
"They look healthy to me," she said.
Rezireksyon Kris said she noticed other bruises on Christiana. Rezireksyon Kris said the child's skin looked like she was "burnt," and appeared that she had sores. She also described the bruises as "little red pimples."
Davidson asked her where those marks came from, but Rezireksyon Kris seemed uncertain. Rezireksyon Kris said she didn't know if they were the result of the girl's initial fall or from her leg being swollen.
"Her body started being really sensitive," Rezireksyon said.
When Davidson asked Rezireksyon Kris if she punished her children, she said, "I don't beat them," but later acknowledged how she would "tap" them sometimes.
Rezireksyon said she wouldn't use a belt. "I use my hands," she said.
The other detective questioned her about ropes found tied to a radiator, but Rezireksyon said she did not restrain the children by tying them to the radiator.
Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.