Thread by @KGETnews

We're back in session in the trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West. Wanda West, Trezell's mother, is testifying via Zoom. #WestsTrial

Trezell and Jacqueline are charged with murder and other crimes in the deaths of Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3, whose bodies have not been found. Prosecutors say the boys died about 3 months before the Wests reported them missing. The boys were adopted. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she is in Washington, D.C., visiting one of her sons. She has three sons, Trezell is the middle child. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said Trezell and Jacqueline have been married since 2010, have 2 biological children. #WestsTrial

She said she lived on Potomac Avenue back in 2020, when the boys were reported missing. She said she had lived there since about 1999. #WestsTrial

Wanda West testified her son and daughter-in-law became involved in foster care around 2015. She identified a photo taken in 2019 of the four adopted children the Wests had. #WestsTrial

At the Potomac Avenue house she lived with her husband and youngest son. #WestsTrial

Before 2020, she went to Casa Loma Apartments -- where the Wests lived before moving to Cal City -- about two or three times a month. Sometimes to babysit, sometimes to visit. #WestsTrial

In March of 2020 Wanda West said COVID hit and she didn't get to see them as much.She said she stopped going. #WestsTrial

Wanda West is describing the personality of each of the Wests' children. She's describing the biological and adopted children. She said Orrin was very quiet, had maybe a learning disability. Orson would cry if he didn't know you, but would calm down with toys. #WestsTrial

Wand West said she became aware the Wests purchased a house in California City. She said she agreed to help them move. She agreed to watch the 4 older boys while they moved. #WestsTrial

She rented a U-Haul truck for the Wests, and rented a car for herself to drive to Cal City. She doesn't own a car. #WestsTrial

On Sept. 18, she got the rental car, got the U-Haul, and went to Cal City, Wanda West said. Prosecutor Eric Smith is asking about the rental agreement for the U-Haul. #WestsTrial

Wanda West testified she arrived at Cal City between 11 am. and noon on Sept. 18, 2020. She said Trezell and Jacqueline greeted her. She walked in the door and she said she saw four boys in the house -- not Orrin or Orson. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she didn't ask about Orrin or Orson. She said she thought they were with Jacqueline's mother, Maria Martinez. #WestsTrial

"You just assumed that Orrin and Orson were with Miss Martinez?" Smith asked.
"Yes," Wanda West said. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she thinks she last saw Orrin and Orson in February of 2020. She said, due to covid, Trezell would drive boy, the older boys would get out of the van and say hi, and they would tell her Orrin and Orson were in the van. #WestsTrial

While at the house on Sept. 18, 2020, Wanda West said she watched videos with the kids, walked around, and during that time Trezell and Jacqueline traveled back to Bakersfield. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she believes she heard Trezell and Jacqueline come home later that night or early the next morning. She said she didn't see Orrin or Orson with them. She walked into the kitchen and saw Trezell and Jacqueline. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she went back to bed. She awoke on Sept. 19, 2020. She got a call or text from U-Haul telling her to turn the truck back in. She said she knocked the door to wake up Trezell and Jacqueline West to tell them about the truck. #WestsTrial

The Wests got up and started unloading the truck, Wanda West said. She said she went to the door and saw them removing boxes from the truck, and they brought in those and furniture. #WestsTrial

She said the Wests on Sept. 18, 2020 had driven the white van to Bakersfield, left it there and picked up the U-Haul, driving it to Cal City. #WestsTrial

Wanda West testified she didn't see Orrin or Orson as they unloaded the truck. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said on Sept. 19, 2020, she went to the U-Haul in Cal City and rented the truck for another day. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she was with the 4 older boys for about an hour when she went to a credit union and a McDonald's. When she returned with the boys she said she didn't see Orrin or Orson. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said Trezell and Jacqueline on the afternoon of Sept. 19, 2020 left in the U-Haul to return to Bakersfield. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said they probably went to bed between 10 or 11 p.m. She said she's not sure what time the Wests got home. She said she was supposed to go back to Bakersfield on Sept. 20, 2020. She got up at 7 a.m. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she watched TV with the 4 older boys. She said Trezell and Jacqueline were probably putting things away. The truck had to be returned that morning. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she did not see Orrin or Orson that morning. #WestsTrial

The U-Haul was returned in California City. Trezell drove the vehicle, and Wanda West went with him. They drove back in her rental car to the house in Cal City. #WestsTrial

She had lunch with the four older boys, didn't see Orrin or Orson. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she went back home that afternoon, after 4 p.m. When she got back to Bakersfield it was dark. Trezell went with her. Jacqueline and the 4 older boys remained at the Cal City house. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she went to Casa Loma Apartments so Trezell could pick up the white van. She said she dropped him off, turned around and saw him driving behind her. They went in different directions leaving the apartment complex. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she doesn't recall speaking with Trezell on Dec. 5, 2020, about visiting her house. #WestsTrial

Smith showed Wanda West a document with a message in which she wrote on Dec. 4, 2020 asking Trezell what time he was coming tomorrow. #WestsTrial

She got a response saying "in the morning," according to the document. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she got robes for the Wests. Her son responded saying he and Jacqueline loved the robes. #WestsTrial

On Dec. 16, 2020, Wanda West sent a message to the Wests. It says she would like a family picture of everyone by the fireplace wearing their robes. She said she never got that picture. #WestsTrial

Wanda West has become emotional, saying she never got the photo because of what happened days later. She had wanted the photo as a Christmas present. Wanda West can be seen crying through the Zoom camera but said she's ready to proceed. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said there was a plan before Christmas for her to keep the four older boys from Dec. 19 to Dec. 23 or 24, 2020. #WestsTrial

On Dec. 19, Wanda West said the four boys were dropped off. Orrin and Orson weren't with them and she thought they were with Maria Martinez. But Wanda West added they may have been in the back of the van, she didn't see them. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she went to a credit union with Trezell and Jacqueline on Sept. 19, 2020. They went there to get the Wests soe gas money. She said she didn't see Orrin or Orson in the van but Jacqueline West told her they were in the back asleep. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said the seats are high in the van so you can't see the back seat of the van where the kids sit. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she didn't see or hear Orrin or Orson in the van when they went to the credit union. She said music was playing in the van. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said when she left the van she didn't make an attempt to say goodbye to Orrin or Orson because her son and daughter-in-law told her they were sleeping. "No, I did not," she said when Smith asked if she made an attempt to see them. #WestsTrial

On Dec. 22, 2020, police arrived at Wanda West's home and told her Orrin and Orson had been reported missing. An officer interviewed the four other boys at her home, she said. #WestsTrial

The other four children were removed from her home. She was allowed to visit them once a month. The last time she visited them was last month. #WestsTrial

Smith ended his questioning and court will be in recess for 15 minutes. #WestsTrial

The trial has resumed and Timothy Hennessy, lead attorney for Trezell West, has begun cross-examination of Wanda West. #WestsTrial

Wanda West has begun crying after being asked if the Wests' four other boys were startled when police arrived at her home the day after Orrin and Orson were reported missing. "Of course they were," she said. #WestsTrial

Wanda West confirmed she is the woman who can be heard crying in the background as the children are interviewed. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she heard Orrin and Orson had been taken by somebody. She said she can't recall if she was told it was a murder investigation the morning police arrived. #WestsTrial

Wanda West agreed it's shocking to her because her son and Jacqueline are being talked about as being "monstrous people." She said they fell in love with the boys and never wanted them to be hurt, they cared for them as far as she saw. #WestsTrial

Wanda West testified she cooperated with authorities. She said she wanted to know the truth. #WestsTrial

Hennessy is going over Wanda West's actions on Dec. 19, 2020. #WestsTrial

"It's really hard to," Wanda West said when asked if it's hard to remember things from that long ago. #WestsTrial

Wanda West again said the last time she saw Orrin and Orson in February 2020. Hennessy asked if she told the FBI she saw them in April or May 2020. She said that's not correct. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said covid was a big deal for her family. They knew people who died. They stayed away from other people. #WestsTrial

Hennessy asked about Trezell doing "drive-bys" at her house. Wanda West said there were no drive-bys didn't involve a gun, prompting an outburst of laughter from the jury and audience. Hennessy clarified that he meant driving by for the children to say hi to her. #WestsTrial

Hennessy asked about a plan for her and her husband, Phillip, to pick out a room for visits. #WestsTrial

Hennessy asked if the policy of Trezell and Jacqueline West was to not give photos of the kids once adoption began. She said they had asked her not to take photos of the foster children because they knew she would post them on social media. #WestsTrial

She said it was the Wests' policy not to send photos of the children. #WestsTrial

Hennessy is asking about her visit to Cal City in September 2020 when the Wests moved. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she heard the couple come home the night of Sept 18, 2020, then woke them up the next morning because she got a message the U-Haul was due. The Wests rented the truck for another day. #WestsTrial

"I did not see Orrin or Orson," she said. She confirmed that didn't seem out of the ordinary because she believed they were at Jacqueline's mother's house. #WestsTrial

Wanda West testified it was her understanding Orrin and Orson would stay with the Wests when the other children spent Dec. 19-23, 2020 at her house. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said one of the reasons the four other children would stay with her but not Orrin and Orson was because the latter two had learning disabilities and cried a lot and she couldn't give them the time they needed while watching the other 4. #WestsTrial

Wanda West, under questioning by Hennessy, said she had forgotten they needed to go to the credit union on Dec. 19 until Trezell reminded her. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she tried to get custody of the other children. "Yes, because they're my relatives, they're my kids," she said. She said her son put up a reward for info about Orrin and Orson, and she thinks another relative hired a private investigator. #WestsTrial

Wanda West confirmed one of the Wests' biological children told her he had talked with a case worker and another person about the case. #WestsTrial

Wanda West said she was not threatened by law enforcement. YouTubers threatened her, she said. #WestsTrial

Hennessy ended his questioning. Wanda West has been excused. #WestsTrial

California City police Officer Brian Hansen has been re-called to the stand. #WestsTrial

He has identified an aerial view of the Wests' Cal City home and surrounding area. #WestsTrial

Hansen has been asked about officers responding to the home of a Ramon Hernandez. Hansen said he recalls going to that home. He said he did not seize surveillance footage from that home. #WestsTrial

Hansen testified he went to a Dollar General in California City. After reviewing a report, he said he went there on Dec. 30, 2020 to get video from Dec. 19 and saw Trezell West enter the store. He was by himself, Hansen said. #WestsTrial

Smith ended his questioning. Alekxia Torres Stallings, lead counsel for Jacqueline, asked why Hansen didn't seize the footage. He said he believes it was their intention to seize it but they never got around to it. He didn't write a report, body cam wasn't on. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings asked if he spoke with Wanda and Phillip West when arriving at their home on Dec. 22, 2020. He said yes but said he didn't tell them the boys were malnourished, that Trezell and Jacqueline had murdered Orrin and Orson. #WestsTrial

Hansen testified he wrote a report about that day. He said he believes he had a camera on when he spoke with the Wests. He said he has not reviewed the video. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings ended her questioning and Victor Nasser, an attorney for Trezell, is questioning Hansen. Hansen said he doesn't believe he told anyone to retrieve the video from Ramon Hernandez's house. He said he believes a lieutenant knew about the video. #WestsTrial

Hansen has been excused. #WestsTrial

Court is in recess until 1:30 p.m. #WestsTrial

Sunya Bartin has taken the stand. She works for CPS. She interviewed the Wests' eldest child when he said he saw Orrin West die. #WestsTrial

Correction: Last name is Barton. #WestsTrial

She was the lead forensic interviewer and is now a supervisor in the department. #WestsTrial

Her bachelor's is in psychology and her master's in social work. #WestsTrial

A forensic interview is an interview with a child regarding an incident. She has received training in how to conduct these interviews. #WestsTrial

Interviews take place at the Jess Diamond Child Assessment Center at the Jamison Center. #WestsTrial

Barton children are asked open-ended questions. They're asked if they know the difference between a truth and a lie. #WestsTrial

If it's determined the child is not emotionally or mentally capable to proceed, it doesn't mean the story they're telling isn't true. #WestsTrial

They'll proceed with the interview. The social worker will have been given some information from law enforcement about what the case is about. #WestsTrial

Barton said they don't put words in a child's mouth. "Sometimes we walk out of there and we don't have an answer," she said. #WestsTrial

The purpose of the interview is to get the child to tell their story how they remember it, Barton said. She tries not to ask questions that have yes or no answers. #WestsTrial

Barton said she remembers an interview she conducted with one of the Wests' adopted children after Orrin and Orson were reported missing. #WestsTrial

A sidebar has been requested by defense attorney Timothy Hennessy. #WestsTrial

The judge and attorneys are back. Smith is going to play a video of the interview Barton had with the child. #WestsTrial

The video has begun. It occurred at about 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 22, 2020. #WestsTrial

The child enters the frame and sits on a chair and Barton sits on the couch and starts talking with him. #WestsTrial

The boy was 8 at the time. He promises to tell the truth. #WestsTrial

The boy said he goes to school at his house and his parents teach him. He said he likes it, likes getting stickers. #WestsTrial

The boy is asked about living in Bakersfield and who was in the apartment with him. He couldn't remember at first, but then said he remembers it was him and his brothers (including Orrin and Orson) and his parents. #WestsTrial

The boy says Orrin went to his grandmother's house and Orson left. #WestsTrial

The boy says he hasn't seen Orrin and Orson since they moved but they're going to come back. #WestsTrial

He says there was space on the bunk beds for the boys and that the Wests' eldest son said they would come back. #WestsTrial