Expert: Children stored in freezer were beaten, burned before deaths

When she walked in the Wayne County Courtroom, she flipped off FOX 2's camera with both hands.

The state wants to terminate the parental rights of Mitchelle Blair to her two surviving children and the rights of their fathers as well. One of the fathers took the stand Friday and admitted he made mistakes.

"I'm his father and I should have known what was going on," said Stephen Berry.

Berry may lose his parental rights if the state has its way. He, along with Alexander Dorsey, are the fathers of her children. 

Both were fathers to one of the children who died, Stephen and Stoni, and both are fathers to the still alive 8- and 17-year-olds, the surviving children are staying with relatives.

On Friday they learned in detail how their kids were tortured as a forensic pathologist took the stand.

"Both of her ears had a extensive loss of tissue," said Dr. Carl Schmidt. "I don't know what would have caused that but it almost looks like they had been chewed on."

Schmidt testified that it took two days to thaw out Stoni and Stephen before he could fully examine him. Both were malnourished and had been beaten and burned with injuries both old and new covering up much of their entire bodies.

"He (Stephen) had been beaten in the head multiple times. It was diffusely infiltrated with hemorrhage," Schmidt said.

An autopsy also revealed Stephen has second and third degree burns to his genital area and traces of what could have been window cleaner in his system. 

The medical expert testified that both endured along periods of painful abuse before their murders. Stoni died in May of 2013 and Stephen in August of 2012. Both were dead for years before their bodies were found in the freezer this year. 

The handcuffed Mitchelle remained emotionless through most of the proceeding. 

The final witness of the day was a worker from Child Protection Services who talked about alleged abuse at the hands of Blair in 2002 and 2005. Testimony will resume again on Thursday.