SUNBURY – The defense lawyer for the mother of the late Arabella Parker didn’t hold back with his criticism of the Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Matulewicz Tuesday. It is day one of the Samantha Delcamp trial and her lawyer, Michael O’Donnell, called the DA ‘a politician looking for media attention,’ not justice for the child.
During his opening statement, O’Donnell claimed the commonwealth has already used Delcamp’s prior testimony four times and the story has changed. O’Donnell said Delcamp did try to stop her boyfriend, Jahrid Burgess of Trevorton, from beating the child in 2019.
O’Donnell also said the DA has also already noted Delcamp begged Burgess to call 911 multiple times. But that Burgess instead called his already convicted mother, Christy Willis. Burgess was convicted last November of third-degree murder of the child, both of which O’Donnell says came as a result of Delcamp testifying against them both. O’Donnell also claimed Delcamp had no prior criminal record and also didn’t have much support around her, after being cut off by Burgess.
In his opening statement, Tony Matulewicz, as he’s done in the previous two trials for the child, argued Delcamp waited 49 minutes before making any calls. Instead of eventually calling 911, the DA says Burgess’ mom was called, all while the child was ‘flopping like a fish’ having a seizure.
The DA also accused Delcamp of lying to a Northumberland County Children and Youth caseworker at Geisinger. He says had she told the truth, the child could’ve been saved and may have even recovered. The DA also claims Delcamp knew of Burgess beating the child on four other occasions during the course of six to eight weeks.
Delcamp is charged with criminal accomplice and criminal homicide, along with other charges. Arabella Parker later died from her injuries in November 2019.
Testimony continues this week in Northumberland County Court.
