TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) - A religious sect leader charged with starving his infant son to death testified Wednesday he believed a miracle would save the boy.
Jacques Robidoux, whose father founded the sect known as "The Body," is on trial for first-degree murder in the death of 1-year-old Samuel. He choked back tears as he described his son's deteriorating heath over six weeks in 1999.
"His cry wasn't a normal baby's cry," Robidoux said. "He ground his teeth. Towards the end, he would often bite down on Karen's nipple. At times, his eyes would roll up in the back of his head. His skin on his chest changed to a dark color. He began getting a white, chalky substance in his diaper."
The sect rejects modern medicine. Robidoux, who testified for three hours Wednesday, said his wife was distraught and wanted to feed the boy solid food but he wouldn't allow it, believing that would have violated a prophesy from God.
"My reaction to it was that in order for me to be a good father and good husband, it was my job to be strong in the situation and to follow through on whatever it is that God was giving us at that time," he said.
His attorney asked if he now feels it was a mistake.
"In that mindset," Robidoux replied, "I couldn't have made any other decision than I did because that's what was ingrained in my head."
Robidoux's sister, Michelle Mingo, had received what they believed was God's message.
"She had been reading the Bible and she had come across three different scriptures — one of them was Karen had pride and foolishness, that she was vain because of the way she looked ... and that God wasn't happy with that," he testified.
Mingo received what Robidoux said was a "leading" from God that the boy should receive only breast milk.
Prosecutors say the child starved over the next six weeks because his mother had become pregnant again and stopped producing enough milk.
Robidoux's attorney, Francis O'Boy, has said starvation may not have killed the boy, that he could have died from a number of ailments such as heart or liver failure, scurvy or rickets.
But Robidoux acknowledged under cross-examination that he realized his son's health was deteriorating because of a lack of nourishment.
Prosecutor Walter Shea asked Robidoux over and over whether he sought medical attention for his son, or did anything to end his starvation over the 51 days it took the boy to die. Robidoux said he and other members of the group did nothing except pray for Samuel.
On redirect, O'Boy asked: "Did you believe Samuel was going to die?"
"No," Robidoux respond.
Robidoux acknowledged he never considered putting his sister's vision on hold.
"The buck stops here, yes," he said.
The boy, who died three days before his first birthday, was found buried next to an infant cousin in Baxter State Park in Maine.
His mother, Karen Robidoux, faces a separate trial on a second-degree murder charge. Mingo also faces trial on a charge of accessory to assault and battery on a child.
When O'Boy asked his reaction to his son's death, Robidoux replied: "Stone cold."
O'Boy asked why. "I felt I had to be ... for my family," he replied.
One defense witness was expected Thursday, followed by closing arguments.