Babysitter charged with murdering 6-month-old testifies in her own defense

BURLINGTON, Mass. — A Burlington babysitter charged with beating a six-month-old to death in 2014 testified in her own defense on Wednesday.

Pallavi Macharla took the stand in Middlesex District Court and testified about the day the infant died in her care.

Macharla, who is facing a murder charge, was arrested after prosecutors say six-month-old Ridhima Dhekane fell unconscious and later died.

Macharla's defense claims the baby choked on homemade applesauce, which she described as "coarse." Prosecutors, however, questioned that explanation.

Two weeks before Ridhima died, Ridhima's mother began giving Macharla homemade applesauce to feed the baby, according Macharla.

"It was not so small, I would say it's coarse, not exactly storebought," said Macharla.

Macharla claims the baby "looked tired [and] slept more than usual" the day before she died. In her testimony, Marcharla says she mentioned the unusual behavior to Ridhima's parents, who said she must've been tired from swimming at the YMCA.

On the morning of the baby's death, Macharla testified that Ridhima slept "for a very long time," which was more than three hours. She also told jurors that, at six months, Ridhima had not rolled over or sat up straight on her own.

Macharla said after she fed Ridhima the "coarse" homemade applesauce, she put her on the swing, but soon noticed something was wrong with the baby.

"I turned her head toward me, I looked at her...she was not responding," said Macharla.

She said she then began mouth to mouth on Ridhima and called the baby's mother.

When prosecutors cross-examined Macharla, she was asked if she knew shaking a baby could kill it.

"I knew it is not good to shake a baby," Macharla replied.

She admitted, under cross-examination, that she lied to police during an interview.

Prosecutors grilled Macharla, who was a doctor in her native country of India, for her failure to call the paramedics. Instead she waited for help to arrive during crucial minutes, prosecutors added.

Cox Media Group