Psychologist: Modesto mother accused of murder had mental disorder

A defense-hired forensic psychologist on Wednesday testified that a mother charged with murder suffered a longtime disorder that contributed to her inaction that led to her infant daughter’s death.

Christine Marie Rocco is on trial accused of letting her daughter die. Her child, 3-month-old Ashayla Jackson was found dead on a bedroom floor in Modesto seven years ago. The prosecutor has told the jury that the infant was emaciated with dirty pale skin and sunken eyes.

Psychologist Phil Trompetter conducted a mental health evaluation on Rocco, meeting with the defendant three times in November at the county jail. He testified that Rocco suffers from persistent depressive disorder and post traumatic stress disorder stemming from sexual abuse, starting when she was 3 years old.

Rocco told the psychologist that she was molested by a family friend who used to babysit her while her parents were out partying. “It was a significant amount of sexual assaults against Ms. Rocco,” said Trompetter, who conducts mental health evaluations for police departments and the courts and has consulted for prosecutors.

She was later caught stealing from the man who allegedly abused her, so Rocco decided to reveal the molestation to her parents. Trompetter told the jury that her parents refused to believe her, which led to a feeling of “learned helplessness” that caused her to become very ineffective when dealing with life challenges.

During cross-examination, Trompetter said he did not question anyone else or try to verify Rocco’s allegations. He also did not question the defendant’s parents about her claims that they were alcoholics who were unavailable to her.

Since childhood, Rocco had re-experienced the traumatic effects of the sexual abuse, causing her to suffer from a chronic sleep disorder, along with a failure to concentrate and a feeling of anxiety, according to Trompetter. He said she’s still worried about encountering the man who abused her.

“It just changed her world view, whether she felt safe in the world,” the psychologist said on the witness stand.

He told the jury that Rocco’s life veered into a pattern of self-destructive behavior that included numerous petty thefts, drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana at an early adolescent age. He said the defendant didn’t exhibit those behaviors before she revealed the abuse to her parents.

Trompetter testified that Rocco continued to put herself in positions of victimization, which included bad relationships with men. He said the defendant was a victim of domestic violence with at least two men.

“I think it’s a willingness to settle for bad outcomes,” the psychologist said in court. “She just didn’t think much of herself, and she didn’t expect much in return.”

Along with questioning the defendant, Trompetter reviewed information he received from Rocco’s attorneys that included police reports and other documents. He was surprised to learn from the prosecutor on Wednesday that the information from the defense he received had pages missing. The psychologist testified that he wished he had received all the information.

Rocco moved from Arizona to Modesto on Dec. 2, 2008, two months after her daughter Ashayla was born premature. She moved-in with her parents at their south Modesto home.

DEFENDANT’S FATHER

Trompetter reviewed a report from a Stanislaus County sheriff’s detective who questioned Rocco’s father. He said Rocco’s father was annoyed his daughter and her two children were living in his home, and that he had no contact with his grandchildren.

The psychologist testified that Rocco’s father was worse than unsupportive. He said that the defendant was forced to put her kids inside a bedroom if they were still awake when her parents arrived home early. Rocco’s father didn’t want the kids around him, according to Trompetter.

“Just a total lack of interest and concern,” Trompetter told the jury.

County Forensic Pathologist Sung-Ook Baik testified on Tuesday that Rocco’s infant daughter died from sepsis caused by a diaper rash that stemmed from severe malnutrition, dehydration and starvation. He said the it appeared to him that that infant had been neglected over a long period of time.

Rocco told authorities she was waiting for a Medi-Cal card to take the baby to a doctor. A sheriff’s deputy found a letter at her home that indicated her children had been approved Medi-Cal services weeks earlier.

Trompetter said it seemed apparent to him that Rocco under-reacted to her infant daughter’s diarrhea, because her older son had overcome a similar condition. He said the defendant found all kinds of reasons not to react, weaving scenarios in her head to keep herself ineffectual.

Rocco had no previous pattern of abuse or neglecting her children. The psychologist testified that it appears to him that Rocco’s judgment was impaired by her post traumatic stress disorder.

This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Psychologist: Modesto mother accused of murder had mental disorder."