REGINA – Chelsea Rae Whitby spoke of her rambunctious, adventurous Bug (her nickname for son Emerson William Bryan Whitby) in a 2020 video interview with a police officer.
That was how the second week of a murder trial into the toddler’s death began, as Regina Court of King's Bench heard her June 3, 2020 voluntary interview with the Ministry of Social Services. This interview was one of several wheels set into motion after Emerson’s biological father, Riley Jolly, placed a concerned call regarding bruising on his son’s face. Also arising from that call, Emerson was placed in temporary custody of his maternal grandmother, Lisa Virtue, for seven days.
During the interview, Whitby - who stands accused of second-degree murder in Emerson’s death - explained causation for the various injuries Emerson displayed, at one point noting she didn’t know “why everybody thinks I’m beating Bug.”
“That little boy saved my life,” Whitby said. “I don’t know where I’d be today.”
When asked to elaborate on that statement, Whitby shared that she encountered depression and anxiety previous to Emerson’s birth, and even “a couple months” after he was born. After seeking the help of a physician, Whitby was prescribed medication that helped her.
The bulk of the interview centred on Whitby’s perspective of how the injuries occurred. As with testimony from last week, Whitby agreed that the bruises on Emerson’s sides were likely caused by her live-in partner’s girls playing with him.
“I honestly think they are fingerprint marks from the girlies,” she said, adding it was the only explanation she could think of; the “only thing that makes sense.”
When asked about the bald spot on Emerson’s head, Whitby relayed what a doctor had informed her during a visit. With no definite cause, it was possibly considered alopecia, and Whitby was advised to monitor any developments.
The ear injury was explained by Whitby as having taken place in her living room. She explained the an old rocking chair was situated between the couch and toys. Emerson had been trying to stand and came up hard, hitting the arm of the rocking chair and causing the injury.
Whitby also explained two incidents that resulted in facial bruising on Emerson. She told of Emerson having awoke from a nap, and while in his room alone, peered out the window at kids playing outside. According to Whitby, Emerson had slipped, encountering the crank operating the window on his descent.
The most substantial bruising, Whitby explained, was from Emerson trying to stand up in bed, supported by temporary bedrail that failed - sending the toddler, railing, and mattress to the ground. Whitby pointed to Emerson hitting his face on the bedrail for the cause of the extensive bruising.
The only injury unaccounted for were the rib injuries. During a physical examination after the call to Social Services, it was discovered Emerson had two healing rib fractures - something that eluded everyone as to their cause.
Whitby also couldn’t answer how it occurred, stating between sobs “I have no idea, that makes no sense to me.”
“This is unfair that I have to go through this, I’m not the only one that takes care of him,” she said at one point in the interview.
The Court then heard a series of conversations, intercepted by police via cell phones or the front deck of Whitby’s home. One important detail from those conversations was Whitby describing the events that took place on the morning of June 10, 2020 - the morning she found Emerson non-responsive in his bed. The conversation - played during court proceedings - features Whitby telling a friend about how she scooped up Emerson and brought him outside just as her then partner, Taylor Stewart, was pulling into the parking lot. She handed Emerson to Stewart (as witnessed by a passing cyclist), who then rushed the toddler upstairs to perform CPR.
In further conversation, Whitby addressed the question of why she wanted to move from that apartment.
“That is where my son died,” she said, adding that his being declared deceased at Regina General Hospital hours later was a technicality. “I am not living in that house!”
Further testimony is expected to be heard this week.
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