Opening statements Thursday in Hiawatha woman's murder trial

A jury was seated late Wednesday afternoon and opening statements will begin Thursday in the Amy Parmer murder trial.

Opening statements will start 9 a.m. in Linn County District Court. Jury selection began Monday and the trial is expected to last three weeks.    

Parmer, 29, of Hiawatha, is charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. She is accused of causing or having knowledge of the physical abuse that led to the death of 17-month-old Kamryn Schlitter, according to a criminal complaint. Kamryn died of blunt force head injuries March 28, 2010.    

According to the prosecution's theory, Parmer, along with Kamryn's father and her ex-boyfriend, Zyriah Schlitter, 25, both inflicted Kamryn's physical abuse or knew of the other's abuse and did nothing to stop it while Schlitter had sole custody of the child for the last month of her life.

Zyriah Schlitter of Cedar Rapids was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment resulting in death last December. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Follow Gazette Reporter Trish Mehaffey's

live coverage from the courtroom starting Thursday. Viewers can log in and ask Mehaffey questions and provide comments during the live blog.