A medical examiner who conducted the autopsy on eight-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle after she was abducted, raped and murdered became emotional and had to interrupt her testimony on Tuesday at the trial of the registered sex offender accused of the crime.
Jacksonville Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Valerie Rao told the court that Cherish sustained severe injuries all over her body from being strangled with a piece of clothing and raped.
Viewing photographs of her battered body in court on Tuesday, she became teary and unable to continue.
State Attorney Melissa Nelson, left, goes over photos of Cherish Perrywinkle’s autopsy with Duval County Medical Examiner Dr. Valerie Rao, right as she testified in Donald Smith’s trial, Tuesday in Jacksonville, Florida
Rao had to take a break after testifying about Cherish’s horrific injuries for 45 minutes
Donald Smith, 61, is on trial for allegedly kidnapping, raping and slaying Cherish in 2013
Donald Smith, 61, is charged with kidnapping, raping and murdering the girl, and faces a possible death sentence if convicted.
Smith allegedly lured her family to Walmart in 2013 with promises to buy food and clothing, then left with the girl. Security video showed her skipping out the door behind him.
During 45 minutes of testimony, which left jurors in tears and had them covering their eyes, Rao listed the dozens of injuries Cherish had sustained during her final moments, including bruises and cuts on her knees and thighs.
The medical examiner said the child’s female anatomy was ‘totally distorted’ from the trauma of the rape.
She estimated that it took the eight-year-old 3-5 minutes to die. As she was being strangled, her right eye began bleeding.
Rao also revealed that Cherish had tried to fight back and managed to inflict an injury on Smith’s penis after he allegedly attempted to force oral sex on her.
Items of clothing from Cherish Perrywinkle and Donald Smith collected by Duval County Medical Examiner Dr. Valerie Rao are displayed as they were being entered into evidence