Clovis murder trial: Daughter testifies against mother and stepfather

A 12-year-old girl testified in a Fresno County courtroom on Monday.

She identified her mother and stepfather as the individuals responsible for the death of Clovis educator Geoff Bernardi.

The girl, whose name is withheld due to her age, is the daughter of Misty Rose Gomez and the stepdaughter of Antonio Garcia.

Both defendants are charged with murder and are accused of collaborating in the attack.

During her testimony, the child recounted a conversation with Gomez that occurred after Garcia was detained by investigators.

"She told me because they had done something very bad, and which was they had you know killed Geoffrey," the girl stated.

She also described the severity of the injury to Bernardi as her mother explained it to her at the time.

"She just told me that they hurt him really badly," the witness told the court.

Prosecutors allege that Bernardi was attacked in December.

The state claims Garcia carried out the physical assault while Gomez orchestrated the crime and helped hide the evidence.

The couple fled to Mexico and was arrested there in August after being on the run for several months.

Testimony focused on how Gomez moved her daughters across the border immediately following the attack on Bernardi's deathbed recovery period is not mentioned, but the move happened after the assault and before his death was officially ruled, or simply after the attack. The source says 'after the attack' and 'following the attack'. Let's stick to 'following the attack'. The source says Bernardi was attacked in December. The girls were driven to the border and traveled by bus to Michoacán to join Garcia. They stayed there for several months until the arrests in August. The child said neither biological father of the two girls was informed of the relocation. The girls believed they were going on a short trip to Los Angeles to visit Universal Studios before discovering they were in Mexico. "we had been told that we were just going to go to Los Angeles, you know, and be there to go to like, Universal or something? And then that's when we had actually gone to Mexico," the girl testified. The court also heard from Erin Adams, Bernardi's mother. Adams described her son's physical state after the beating. "He was beaten beyond recognition. Every bone in his skull, his face were broken, and his hands were broken," Adams said. Adams noted that her family did not know Gomez was married while she was dating Bernardi. "No," Adams replied when asked if Gomez had disclosed her marital status to the family. Gomez visited the hospital while Bernardi was hospitalized. Investigators said Gomez initially told authorities that a homeless man had attacked Bernardi. The case drew attention due to the disappearance of the daughters, who were returned to the United States after the arrests. Gomez and Garcia remain in custody facing murder charges. The preliminary hearing is scheduled to continue with more witnesses.