Opening statements begin in trial of South Pasadena father accused of killing newborn son [Video]

SOUTH PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) — Cash Richmond was only 7 weeks old when prosecutors say his father’s actions caused him to be airlifted to UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital where he later died.

That was 137 days after the newborn was first hospitalized.

Since then, an autopsy revealed the boy died of “multiple blunt traumatic injuries” and his death was ruled a homicide. Monday marked the start of opening statements in the murder trial of Cash’s father, Christopher Richmond.

“When he had just opened up his eyes to this world, Cash began to be abused,” said prosecutor Brian Rosenberg. “It started with the breaking of his ribs. It escalated when Cash was six weeks old to the breaking of his neck.”

Rosenberg said in September 2022, Cash suffered the “rapid removal of oxygen from his body.”

“Suffocation … he was suffocated,” said Rosenberg.

The prosecution said Cash was in the backhouse of a South Pasadena property with his father while his mother, Candice …