State rests its case against Kyle mom accused of murdering her toddler

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The state rested its case Thursday in the trial of Dazrine Chagoya-Williams, the Kyle mom who allegedly murdered her nearly two-year-old son, Mason, in 2018.

Over the last week and a half, prosecutors brought forward more than two dozen witnesses and presented roughly 200 pieces of evidence to a jury that will decide over the next few days whether Chagoya-Williams, alongside her husband and the child’s father, Stevie Williams, is guilty of capital murder in the death of their young son.

Stevie was found guilty in October 2021 of the same charge. He is appealing that verdict, court records show.

Previous coverage

• Wednesday: State expected to rest its case against Kyle mom accused of murder Thursday
• Tuesday: Attorneys for Kyle mom point to father in death of nearly 2-year-old son
• Monday: Autopsy detailed in trial for Kyle mom who allegedly murdered young son
• Friday: ‘Dazrine had nothing to do with it’: Why that statement may not be allowed in the Kyle mom’s murder trial
• Thursday: Day cut short in fatal child abuse trial after family reveals new information
• Wednesday: ‘Something attacked him’: Trial continues for Kyle mom in alleged fatal child abuse case
• Tuesday: ‘Mason’s not okay’: New video shown in trial for Kyle mom who allegedly killed 2-year-old son
• October 2021: Kyle father who said ‘demons’ killed 2-year-old found guilty of capital murder

Dell Children's expert talks about injuries to Mason, his sister

The final witness for the state was Dr. Marion Forbes, a Dell Children's pediatric and child abuse expert, who began testimony Wednesday afternoon by walking the jury through X-rays and findings from a hospital visit for Mason in 2017. This is the visit that led CPS to remove Mason from his parents for nearly a year.

During that visit, which was originally for burns that Mason's parents claimed were accidental, Mason was found to have fractures; one in his wrist and more than a dozen in his ribs.

Mason was returned to Stevie and Chagoya-Williams in December of 2017 and CPS monitored the family until March of 2018. Mason died only a few months later, in July.

Forbes testified the injuries from Mason's 2017 hospital visit were similar to the injuries that led to his death less than two years later. "The only difference being in 2017 the chest trauma was not long enough to inhibit breathing long enough to cause death," she said.

Forbes also walked the jury through X-ray images and findings from a visit for Mason's sister, baby Dazrine, the day after Mason died. The baby had external bruising, a fracture in her shoulder-area, nearly two dozen rib fractures, damage to her kidney and a skull fracture, among other internal injuries. Those injuries were at various stages of healing, suggesting they were inflicted at different times, Forbes testified.

"They both had evidence of the same mechanism of trauma, being that violent, aggressive squeezing of the chest leading to rib fractures and internal injuries and to Mason's death from the extent of the compression of the chest," Forbes testified. She also said they both had fractures that would indicate a yanking or flailing of an arm.

What happens next in this trial

Now that the state has rested its case, the defense will take over. The defense did say it would introduce a few witnesses, including several that have already testified, but that testimony would be brief -- that will not include Chagoya-Williams.

"I do not want to testify," she said under oath while the jury was not present.

KXAN digital reporter Grace Reader is in the courtroom sharing live updates. You can find those below: