A man accused of killing his ten-month-old daughter warned a social worker that they would have another ?Waco? on their hands if they tried to take the baby away, a Supreme Court jury heard yesterday.

Dr. Amenemhat Waset Amen-Ra Tamerry, 48, and his wife Maatkai Hatsheput Tamerry, 36, deny unlawfully killing their daughter A?Maya.

The couple were formerly known as Clark Godwin and Regina Woods but had their names legally changed. The Crown alleges the baby died as a result of severe neglect and malnutrition on March 1, 2001.

Yesterday, Diana Taylor of Child and Family Services (CFS) told the court that she had informed Dr. Tamerry of a complaint CFS had received from Dr. Alexander Barron ? the first paediatrician to treat A?Maya.

Dr. Barron reported the defendants to CFS because they had missed medical appointments, rejected his advice and refused to allow medical professionals access to the baby ? despite the fact A?Maya was losing weight at a life-threatening rate.

?He (the father) said he wanted me to hear his side,? said Ms Taylor. Dr. Tamerry told her his daughter had lost weight because her mother had difficulty breast feeding and the couple had contacted the La Leche League ? a breastfeeding support group ? for advice on better breast feeding techniques.

Ms Taylor said she told the father the baby needed to see a doctor as soon as possible. The next day, on May 27, 2000, however, she received a page from Dr. Barron saying the child had still not been to a doctor.

Ms Taylor called again and spoke with the father who said someone could come on the following Monday to weigh the child.

Ms Taylor told the defendant that if his child did not gain weight, CFS would have to take her away.

A?Maya?s father then said that, if they tried to take her away, it would be another ?Waco, Texas? ? referring to a 1993 incident where cult leader David Koresh and more than 80 of his Branch Davidian followers were killed after a 51-day stand-off. US officials who had originally gone to the cult?s compound to investigate gun registrations and sex abuse allegations.

When A?Maya was next weighed on May 29, Ms Taylor said she had dropped another three ounces.

The decision was made to take the matter to the court and on May 30 an order was issued to have A?Maya taken away.

CFS did not take A?Maya at the time, however, as they could not find the family despite calling and visiting the Tamerrys? home on a number of occasions. The Tamerrys were finally located on June 7 at their home, at which time both defendants and the baby were escorted to the hospital.

Social worker Rhita Love Daniels said she attempted to see A?Maya and the defendants in person but the couple refused to let her see the baby.

She later hand-delivered a letter to the defendants apprising them of the reasons CFS was taking the matter of their daughter?s care to court.

However, on cross-examination, defence lawyer Mark Pettingill established that a report from Dr. Barron, which had contributed to the court action, contained inconsistencies.

In the report, Dr. Barron had stated that he last saw the child on May 8 and the family did not show up for their appointment on May 22. The report read that Dr. Barron had only seen A?Maya once since her birth.

?I put it to you that is totally false and that Dr. Barron did see the child on May 22,? Mr. Pettingill said.

Ms Daniels said she was only going on information she had received from Dr. Barron?s office.

Previous testimony had already established that Dr. Barron did see A?Maya on May 22.

The court also heard testimony yesterday from the last paediatrician to see the baby before her death ? Dr. June Hill.

Dr. Hill told the court she had ?never seen a baby in such a condition?.

?The child was ten months old but looked like three months old,? she said. ?I had never seen eyes like that before.?

Earlier in trial, the jury heard that on autopsy A?Maya had sunken eyes with holes in the cornea which revealed the iris.

Dr. Hill told the court it was possible the condition could have been caused by a vitamin A deficiency, adding: ?I felt it was an acute situation.?

The defendants told her that A?Maya had been sick for 12 days ? with vomiting and fever ? but had received no medical attention.

She was finally admitted to hospital on February 28, 2001, in an ?unresponsive state?.

Dr. Hill described the baby as ?grossly malnutritioned? and said the neglect would have gone on for a long period of time.

But she said that when she saw the baby at the end of June, 2000, A?Maya had been thriving.

She also testified that when she took on A?Maya as a client she had received a letter from Dr. Roddy Moore, the baby?s previous physician.

The letter stated that Dr. Moore was concerned about the baby?s low weight but that A?Maya seemed to be doing OK. It also said, however, that he had advised the Tamerrys on four occasions to stop feeding the baby sea moss.

Earlier in the trial the jury heard that the baby?s last meal before her death was sea moss and canola.

Dr. Hill will continue offering testimony before Chief Justice Richard Ground on Monday.