A court in Idaho heard about the tragic death of a 9-year-old boy who was allegedly starved and tortured by his stepmother.

Monique and Erik Osuna appeared in court for a Wednesday hearing in which prosecutors presented witnesses to convince the judge that the first-degree murder charges were warranted, according to KTVB.

9-year-old Emrik tragically died at his parent’s home in Meridian in September. Paramedics reportedly found him unresponsive with dried vomit in his head.

According to the news outlet, pictures presented to the court show the young boy lying unconscious and naked on the floor with large bruises all over his body.

Hannah Berry, Monique’s former friend, testified that the stepmother always whined about her stepson’s behavioral problems. Her complaints allegedly increased in the months before his tragic death.

The night Emrik passed away, Monique texted Berry saying that something was wrong with the boy.

Berry told the court that she found the boy unresponsive on the living room floor and when she held his hand, it felt cold.

“He was laying down and he was covered in blankets – I mean, it looked like he was sleeping,” she expressed.

Berry said that the boy took his ‘last breath’ when they tried to help him stand up while Erik allegedly called 911.

“It was a deep breath, and then it was just silent,” she said.

Paramedics rushed Emrik to a local hospital after they got his heart beating again.

He was then transferred to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital where he passed away weighing only 44lbs.

Police officer Scott Frazier testified and said that he saw the boy lying on the floor while Erik appeared ‘stoic’ and Monique was ‘frantic.’

Frazier told the court that the boy was “very emaciated, he appeared ill, his eyes were sunk into his head. He was pale.”

He also said that the boy’s penis appeared to have severe trauma and it seemed like someone “had left a tightened rubber band around it.”

Detective Joseph Miller also testified that Monique admitted that she violently abused her stepson after giving birth to her daughter.

She allegedly admitted that she had whipped the boy with different items, including a frying pan, belt, leash, wooden spoon, and backscratcher.

Prosecutor John Dinger asked Miller if the child had spent ‘his last night alive in the closet.’

“He did,” Miller reportedly replied.

Emrik’s father was allegedly aware of the abuse but did not do anything to stop it. He has been charged with first-degree murder, concealing evidence, and injury to a child.

The couple’s other children, ages four months, four years old, and nine, were taken into protective custody with Idaho Health and Welfare.

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