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Daughter weeps during testimony at father's murder trial

Court hears about her final texts with "mum"
brooks trial text 1
Photo of final text message from Deena Brooks to daughter Kristin presented at murder trial of Mitchell Brooks

Kristin Brooks took the witness stand at her father's murder trial Friday to recount in raw, emotional testimony her parent's marital breakdown and the day her mother was shot to death.

The  20-year-old woman with long blonde hair parted in the middle, broke down crying and covered her face with tissue many times as she spoke of a close, happy family life prior to her mother wanting a divorce and her father's reaction to the pending separation. 

The young woman testified the last time she saw her mother was the afternoon of May 24, 2013 at Barrie's waterfront where she posed for prom pictures with both parents.

Her father later drove her to the prom but the then 17-year old sent a text to her mother at 7:37 p.m. asking "mum" to pick her up.

"On my way now," texted Deena Brooks.

"Thanks," replies Kristin.

"Fast as I can," her mother wrote in what turned out to be their final communication.

As she looked at photos of those text messages Kristen broke down again, one of many times emotion got the better of her composure, but she repeatedly declined the crown's offer to take a break.

At one point, a juror even dabbed her eyes with a tissue during the emotionally charged hearing.

Kristen testified that her mother told her Easter weekend 2013 she wanted a divorce but didn't tell her why.

The witness told court she didn't see it coming, didn't ask her dad about it but testified about his reaction.

"He was very sad. Crying all around the house. He just wasn't the same. Sad all the time. I tried to comfort him."

Her father, Mitchell Brooks, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the shooting death of his wife Deena Brooks on May 24, 2013.

Brooks broke down several times himself in the prisoner's box and covered his face with tissue as he listened to his youngest daughter's testimony.

Occasionally, his daughter would look over and smile at her father as she recalled good memories of him but then would start to cry. 

Kristin told court about a day in April 2013 when she went to comfort her crying father and he repeatedly got off the couch and went back and forth to his workshop.

She testified she texted her mom, who was at work, and asked her to come home.

"I told mom I thought he was going to kill himself."

But Kristin told that court that even though her father was "upset and depressed" she believed "he would only ever hurt himself."

That incident was a "turning point" she testified and after an apology, from then on her father "stopped sharing that he was so sad all the time."

She told court her father was receiving counselling but had declined to go to the hospital on the day her mom came home. 

The young woman testified her father "didn't want us to leave," and that her mother "just wanted to move on" but her mother told her that her father "would try to take everything so she wouldn't leave."

During cross-examination, court heard that Mitchell Brooks lost 30 lbs after learning his wife wanted a divorce.

Kristin's evidence included the text messages she sent to her mother as she waited to be picked up.

Her mother never arrived.

"Close?" the teen wrote as she waited.

"You close?" was another text that went unanswered.

"Mum?" court heard was the last text Kristen wrote to her mother with no reply.   

The young woman, who now lives in B.C., told court she called her home, and the cell phones of both parents but no one answered. 

 


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Sue Sgambati

About the Author: Sue Sgambati

Sue has had a 30-year career in journalism working for print, radio and TV. She is a proud member of the Barrie community.
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