Testimony continued Thursday in the trial of a woman who survived a Deerfield Beach standoff, during which, police say, her husband shot and killed a man, stabbed her and two of her sons and then killed himself.
Deanna De Jesus, 38, is charged with aggravated manslaughter and child neglect in connection with the Feb. 9 incident at the Highland Woods RV Park.
On Thursday morning, jurors heard an audio recording of De Jesus speaking to a detective in the hospital after the incident.
"He was hallucinating. I know my husband. He never was like this before," said De Jesus in the recording.
The Broward Sheriff's Office said Deanna De Jesus did nothing during the Feb. 9 standoff to stop her husband -- who investigators said had already gunned down Ovila Plante, 76, at his RV -- when he stabbed Jeshia, their 9-year-old son and Samson, their 7-year-old son. Investigators said Deanna De Jesus only protested when her husband stabbed her, before he killed himself. Investigators said William De Jesus brought his family to South Florida from their home in Port Orange to buy drugs that day.
BSO said that for several hours after she realized Samson De Jesus was still alive, Deanna De Jesus failed to call for help, although SWAT team members were surrounding the RV.
In the recording, Deanna De Jesus explained to the detective why she couldn't help her children.
"Because I think he hurt me first. I was down on the floor and I couldn't move. I couldn't to help my kids," said Deanna De Jesus. "He was like, 'Mommy, mommy,' my 7 year old, you know. He's autistic. I just heard him, like suffer for a little bit, he can't talk."
Five hours after the incident began, the SWAT team went into the RV and found that William De Jesus and the couple's 9-year-old son were dead, and Deanna De Jesus and the 7-year-old son were critically wounded, BSO said.
The state contends if Deanna Dejesus had done more to protect her son, he might still be alive.
Defense attorneys argue that Deanna De Jesus was a nothing more than victim in the ordeal, adding that she was defenseless against her husband, who was armed, and physically incapable of helping her children after William De Jesus turned the knife on her.
On Thursday afternoon, jurors are expected to hear an audio recording of Deanna De Jesus' son Samson. Prosecutors said he describes how his mother made no effort to protect them from their father. Deanna De Jesus lost custody of Samson in February.