Apr 07, 2008
By Parul Joshi
Eyewitness News 9

Lawyers have chosen the members of a jury, who will decide the case of a woman on trial, for the murder of a little girl. There was a pool of more than 300 possible jurors, for the trial of Carolyn Futrell. Investigators accuse her of poisoning the girl, who was in her care, almost 5 years ago.

After the lawyers picked them, the jurors left for the day around 4:00 pm. This afternoon, the judge was hearing motions in the case.
     
On the morning of August 24th, 2003 investigators found 7-year-old Kayla Allen unresponsive in her bed at 333 Futrell Loop Road.
 
The incident horrified the small community of Richlands and beyond and now people are thinking of Kayla and her family.
 
Susan Morris say, "I feel sympathy for them, my prayers are with them."

The Medical Examiner's report says insecticide poisoning killed Kayla.

The woman who cared for Kayla legally, Carolyn Futrell, was charged with killing her on May 20th 2004.
 
In 2006 Futrell was released on bond. The autopsy also showed Kayla's stomach contents were similar to the contents found in the water bottle on her bed the day she died.

Joanna Wright is President of “Hope4KidZ”, a national child advocacy organization in Texas.
 
Wright says Kayla's family contacted her 8 months before her death because they questioned Kayla's safety under Futrell's care. Wright says the family had been trying to gain custody of Kayla and she says she wishes she could have helped make it happen.
 
Joanna Wright says, "It was heartbreaking. I don't know how else to describe it. As an advocate for children I felt guilty, a lot of guilt.”
 
Reporter: “We tried to talk with those close with the Defendant but they declined. And the family of Kayla Allen says they will not be able to comment until after jury selection.”  
 
Nine on your side will continue to cover the case, as the trial begins Tuesday morning. Back in January the defense asked the judge to dismiss some pieces of evidence including the medical examiner's findings, and a water bottle found in Kayla Allen's bed the day she died.

The judge denied that motion.

Emphasis added by H4K Editor