Amy Parmer's defense begins with testimony from ex-boyfriend

Zyriah Schlitter in his trial testimony last year defended ex-girlfriend Amy Parmer, saying he never suspected she hurt his 17-month-old daughter Kamryn who died from rotational head injuries March 28, 2010.

Schlitter initially said Parmer never talked to him about bruises on Kamryn's cheeks and forehead. He even denied seeing the bruises himself, saying the black eye was more a red mark and he could “hardly” see them, according to his testimony which was read into the record Friday as Parmer's defense started in her murder trial.

Parmer, 29, of Hiawatha, is charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. She is accused of inflicting the physical abuse of Kamryn, along with Schlitter, 25, of Cedar Rapids, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment resulting in death last December and is serving 50 years in prison.

The defense will continue its case 9 a.m. Monday. The reading of Schlitter's testimony wasn't completed because the judge had a prior commitment and she excused the jury early for the day. The reading of the testimony will continue Monday.

The trial will wrap up next week. Follow Gazette Reporter Trish Mehaffey's continuing live coverage from the courtroom

Schlitter in the testimony claimed nobody, including Parmer and Kamryn's daycare, who reported the bruises to DHS, never mentioned the bruising to him until a DHS case worker contacted him.

First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks, who prosecuted Schlitter's case and now Parmer's, on cross during Schlitter's trial asked him didn't he have a conversation with Parmer about the bruising because he mentioned it to police.

Schlitter said not a “conversation.” He then admitted after seeing the transcript from a police interview that he talked to Parmer about putting Vitamin-K on Kamryn's black eye.

“I wouldn't call it a black eye,” Schlitter said. “It wasn't very prominent.”

Later in the testimony, Maybanks asks if after he found out Kamryn had massive head trauma and the doctors told him she was a victim of child abuse, didn't he go into her room and say “I'm sorry” because he knew what he and Parmer had done.

Schlitter said he wasn't apologizing for himself and Parmer. He didn't hurt her. Schlitter added that just because the doctors told him it was child abuse, it “didn't mean I believed them.”

Maybanks asked Schlitter didn't he tell police when Kamryn's behavior changed that she was afraid of dark-haired women.

“Wasn't the inference to Amy Parmer?” Maybanks said.

Schlitter said “I guess” but he never saw Kamryn afraid of Parmer or saw Parmer hurt her.