An Oak Bay father charged in the deaths of his two daughters did not mention the children as he recovered in hospital in the wake of the incident, an RCMP corporal testified Wednesday.
Cpl. Shane Rappel, a team commander with the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit, was asked during cross-examination by Andrew Berry’s defence counsel if Berry, while in hospital, confessed or admitted to killing his daughters.
“Mr. Berry did not mention his children at all,” Rappel told the Vancouver courtroom.
Berry, 45, is charged with second-degree murder in the deaths of the girls, four-year-old Aubrey Berry and six-year-old Chloe Berry. The two were found dead in Berry’s Oak Bay apartment, on Beach Drive, on Christmas Day 2017. Berry was discovered with wounds on his chest and neck in the apartment’s bathtub and was arrested about a week later, upon his release from hospital.
He’s pleaded not guilty.
Defence lawyer Kevin McCullough re-asked his question to Rappel several times and also asked the officer to clarify if all hospital staff who dealt with Berry were interviewed by police. He also questioned Rappel’s confidence in his statement that Berry did not mention the children.
Rappel, in response, said police interviewed staff who interacted with Berry in a significant capacity and said he expects that if Berry mentioned the children the information would have come forward in a statement or in notes.
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McCullough also brought up interactions Rappel had with Berry’s sister, an RCMP officer.
Rappel, relaying information he reviewed from the file, said Berry, while recovering, pointed to his chest — where he had been wounded — and told his sister, “I did this.”
A publication ban prevents Black Press Media from naming Berry’s sister.
Surveillance footage first played Tuesday of Berry and the girls at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre and at a Fairway Market on Christmas Eve, the day before the deaths, was shown again in court on Wednesday. One of the videos shows the three in a lobby area near the recreation centre’s skating rink, while another shows the girls playing outside as the three leave the centre.
Rappel’s testimony is expected to continue Thursday.
The trial, which began in April, is being held at the Vancouver Law Courts.
