GREENSBURG, Pa. — For more than three hours Tuesday, a doctor with UPMC’s Child Advocacy Center testified at the preliminary hearing in the case against Lauren Maloberti and her husband, Jacob.
Dr. Michelle Clayton said Lauren’s adopted 5-year-old son Landon was tortured physically, emotionally, and psychologically before his death in February.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Adoptive mother, husband charged with murder of 5-year-old in Westmoreland County
Clayton outlined the physical injuries she saw on Landon Maloberti after he was brought into Children’s Hospital on January 30. She said he had injuries to his face, bruising on his head, arms, chest, back, and legs. He had cuts along his body, and some bruising that appeared to be fading -- which she believed to have been from a prior incident.
She also said she looked over CT scans of Landon and said they showed he had multiple brain bleeds and swelling. Clayton said he had to be intubated, was unable to breathe on his own, and needed different medications to physically stay alive.
RELATED >>> Donors can get refund after Westmoreland parents who set up GoFundMe charged in son’s death
Clayton also said she interviewed Lauren Maloberti, Landon’s adoptive mother, and her husband Jacob. She said Lauren told her Landon had fallen in the bathroom on Sunday, Jan. 29. She said she picked him up off the ground and kept watch over him, waking him up every hour that night. She said he seemed normal. The next day she said Lauren Maloberti told her Landon ate breakfast and asked to lie down. Clayton said Maloberti said Landon then ate lunch and asked to lie down again, which she thought was weird.
A few hours later, Clayton said the Malobertis drove Landon to AHN Hempfield, 20 minutes away. She said the Malobertis should have immediately called 911 and had him rushed to the hospital instead of driving him there himself.
Clayton said Lauren Maloberti told her Landon was always clumsy but had gotten worse after being diagnosed with COVID-19 in December.
The Maloberti’s defense team argued that the injuries were self-inflicted, from Landon being clumsy and what they said was “not normal behavior” after COVID. They also said the whole case is speculative.
Dr. Clayton disagreed and said his injuries could not be self-inflicted and came from abuse from an adult.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
TRENDING NOW:
©2023 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
