Description of crying little girl in red rubber boots causes outburst of grief at Edward Downey murder trial

Douglas Jesson could tell the little girl in red and white polka-dotted rubber boots had been crying as he watched her being escorted from one car to another by a man who had parked nearthe girl's homein northwest Calgary.

As Jessondescribed the tearful child, TaliyahMarsman's family broke down sobbing in the courtroom where Edward Downey is on trial, accused of murdering the five-year-old and her mother, Sara Baillie, 34.

The girl that Jesson spotted on July 11, 2016 was Taliyah, according to the Crown.

Jessontestified he saw the child from a window at the side of his home, which is just around the corner from the basement apartment whereBaillieandTaliyahlived in a house in the northwest community of Panorama Hills.

Baillie'sbody was found in that apartment, stuffed into a laundry hamper that had been pushed intoTaliyah'sbedroom closet. Two of Downey's fingerprints were found on duct tape wrapped aroundBaillie's head.

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It is the Crown's theory thatTaliyahwas murdered because she witnessed her mother's slaying, or at least recognized the killer who was inside their home.

Jesson also testified that, on that morning in 2016, he watched as a short, black man walked with a small girl from a white Ford Fusion which the prosecution says was Baillie's to asedan with tinted windows across the street.

The Crown's theory is that the man was Downey, the girl was Taliyahand the sedan with tinted windows belonged to Downey's girlfriend, a woman who can only be identified as "AB" due to a publication ban.

Jesson said the man was wearing a tan jacket and fedora and carrying a suitcase when heplaced the child in the back seat of the sedan, got in thefront seat and drove away.

Three days after Jesson spotted the girl from his window, Taliyah's body was found east of the city.

On Tuesday, AB testified that by July 11, 2016, herrelationship with Downey had deteriorated. She said he had hit her in the face and she had refused to begin working for him as a prostitute.

AB said her best friend, Baillie,"was afraid for me."

In her opening statement to jurors, prosecutor Carla MacPhailsuggested Downey may have blamedBailliefor AB trying to leave him and refusing to work as an escort.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Gavin Wolch, Jessonconceded the girl he saw could have been as old as 10.

Evidence from Downey's cellphone will show it was nearBaillie'shome on the morning she was killed and then in the rural area where Taliyah's remains were discovered, according to MacPhail.

Cameras captured cars' movements

On Thursday afternoon, Sgt. Darren Smith testified, showing jurors images captured from cameras on buses, taxis and nearby homes that helped police piece together the movements of the Fusion and Charger.

They show the Fusion was outside Baillie's home until at least 10:13 a.m. and the Charger was on an adjacent street until at least noon.

Images of both cars were captured on the Jessons' street just before 1:30 p.m. and the Charger is seen driving away.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Beth Hughes is presiding over the trial.

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