Mother of alleged victim: “He didn’t look like my son in that car”

Several witnesses, including the alleged victim’s mother, testified in court Tuesday in the trial against a Pocomoke City man accused of killing his 3-year-old nephew.

Kevin Sewell, 28, is facing four charges total: first degree murder, first degree child abuse, second degree murder, and neglect of a minor.

This stems from a May 2015 incident, when the child’s mother and step-father left him in the care of Sewell and his wife, Amanda Sewell.

Authorities allege the child received multiple injuries, which resulted in him being placed on life support before succumbing to his injuries at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughter in Norfolk, Virginia.

In court Tuesday evening, the child’s mother testified they drove from their Keller, Virginia home to Sewell’s home in Pocomoke City on Saturday, May 2 so the couple could have a ‘date night’ in Salisbury. The plan, according to the mother, was to have Amanda Sewell bring the child back to Keller the following afternoon.

In her testimony, the mother recalled the child “had his head on his lap” when Amanda Sewell reportedly dropped him off that Sunday.

“He didn’t look like my son in that car”, she [the mother] tearfully told the courtroom Tuesday.

Dr. Wendy Guther, a medical examiner with the state of Virginia who performed the child’s autopsy, was one of two expert witnesses who testified Tuesday.

Graphic details of the child’s injuries emerged during Dr. Gunther’s testimony.

According to Dr. Gunther, the autopsy determined abusive head trauma through a manner of homicide was the cause of death. A swelling of the brain, multiple bruises to the head, face, and belly, and “at least six blows to the head” were some of the injuries she testified reporting in the 15 page autopsy.

Most of the injuries on the body were “likely consistent with adult knuckles”, she testified.

During cross examination, the defense questioned the definition of “consistency” in regards to injury causes.

The examiner admits injuries “consistent” with a cause does not necessarily equal scientific proof, just reasonable support.

According to online court documents, Amanda Sewell is facing one charge of first degree child abuse and neglect of a minor. She is scheduled to face trial in November.

Day two of Kevin Sewell’s trial is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.