DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County mother became so emotional while testifying in the trial for the man accused of killing her daughter that the judge had to take a recess.
Diamante Haithcoats is accused of shooting and killing Shaniya Rodriguez, who was pregnant, in February 2023. Doctors delivered her baby through an emergency C-section, but the child died four months later.
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Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes was in a DeKalb County courtroom on Tuesday as the victim’s mother, Adrienne Rodriguez, took the stand.
“They were like glued to the hip,” she recalled. “[She] couldn’t do anything without him.”
Adrienne Rodriguez says she wishes she had realized how toxic her daughter’s relationship was before it was too late.
On Tuesday, prosecutors played recordings of phone calls with Haithcoats that Adrienne Rodriguez made when she started to suspect he could be responsible for her daughter’s death.
“Who did this, Monte?” Adrienne Rodriguez can be heard asking.
“I have no idea, no idea,” Haithcoats replied.
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She says he never told her what happened at the Brannon Hills apartment complex where Shaniya Rodriguez was shot in the head.
Police say he went on the run for a month. During that time, Adrienne Rodriguez was doing everything she could to save her granddaughter.
“I tried everything to fix that mistake. That baby was supposed to be here,” she said tearfully.
Testimony is expected to continue in the trial on Wednesday morning.
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