The trial of a Tennessee mother charged with the neglectful death of her 13-year-old son is currently in progress, more than three years after her initial indictment. The case has drawn significant attention due to the tragic circumstances surrounding the boy’s death.

Kadaris Maddox, who suffered from cerebral palsy, weighed a mere 38 pounds at the time of his passing on July 6, 2022. An autopsy confirmed that malnutrition was the cause of his death, as reported by Clarksville Now.

During the trial’s second day, a home health care nurse, Myesha Mays, provided testimony that painted a grim picture of the boy’s living conditions. Mays recounted arriving at the Maddox home to find Kadaris lying in a bathtub, wearing a soiled disposable diaper. His mother, Cheyenne Maddox, would routinely claim she was about to clean him, according to Mays.

The testimony revealed a disturbing pattern of neglect, with Mays describing Cheyenne Maddox as “absent” and “unresponsive” to her son’s needs. She often dismissed Kadaris, attributing family problems to him, and even allegedly expressed a desire for his death. In stark contrast, Mays noted that Kadaris displayed happiness during a week he spent at her home, away from his mother’s care.

Recalling that time, Mays shared, “It was really just a normal day, like he was really at home. Once my husband got home, he would interact more with him—dancing with Kadaris, singing with him. We just wanted to make him feel at home.” Her testimony highlighted the stark difference in Kadaris’s demeanor when removed from his troubling home environment.

When she brought him back to the Maddox home, Mays said, the boy cried.

Also on Tuesday, Kadaris’ pediatrician testified about his alarming weight loss. Dr. Gary Griffieth said that the child weighed 47 pounds at his last in-person visit in December 2020 and that his general examination was “OK.” He said the weight was low, even for a child with cerebral palsy, but “What I need is a second point, because then that tells me what the rate is.”

Griffieth never got that second point because Maddox never brought the boy back to see the doctor.

Cheyenne Maddox is standing trial for murder and aggravated child neglect. The trial continues on Thursday.