Adoption agency referred the Marks to a counselor

The jury heard testimony from Dr. Alice Rothman, a pediatrician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and director of the International Adoption Clinic there. She was admitted as an expert on pediatrics, according to The Wilson Post.

Rothman testified to giving Kairisa a physical examination on April 12, 2010, a typical post-adoption check up. In her report, Rothman noted Kairisa weighed less and was shorter than the typical range for her age. She said Kairisa was developmentally delayed.

“The vast majority of internationally adopted children are developmentally delayed,” Rothman said.

The defense pointed out that Kairisa had suffered from malnutrition, and Rothman said that one aspect of her development delay was in fact malnutrition. Lowery read symptoms of malnutrition including dry skin, bleeding gums, decaying teeth, fragile bones and a weak immune system.

Rothman said those were all symptoms of malnutrition but on re-cross examination, Assistant District Attorney General Tom Swink asked if Rothman had observed any of those signs and Rothman said she did not.

The final witness of the day was Tammy Bass, of Bethany Christian Services, the adoption agency that the Marks used to adopt Kairisa. She classified Kairisa as a “special needs child” and said the Marks had asked for a special needs child.

A video was shown from China that depicted Kairisa clapping and playing with a balloon. Bass said the video was used to give “an accurate representation of the child” and was given to the Marks.

Bass also said she only met Mark in passing at the adoption clinic and said she never saw Kairisa after the adoption, but Lisa Lancaster was the family’s case worker. Bass said that during Lancaster’s post-adoption visit to the Mark home two weeks after Kairisa’s adoption that the “adjustment was going better than expected.”

However, Bass said Bethany Christian Services repeatedly informs adopting parents that when problems arrive, there are people at Bethany Christian Services available 24 hours a day.

She said the Marks had never called Bethany expressing any problems until June 30, when she said Steven called and he described Kairisa as a “demon child” with self-destructive behavior.

Bass said the Marks were referred to a counselor but added that after the counselor contacted the Marks the family did not make an appointment to meet with him.