On the fourth day of the murder trial for Elvis Alberto Lopez, accused in the death of 3-year-old Mila Solis, Dr. Manual Montez, a pathologist with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau, described the child’s injury as comparable to a massive fall or a car crash.

“I have seen these in car accidents. I have seen this in multi-story falls. I have seen this with weapons,” Montez told the Santa Barbara County Superior Court jury during his testimony Tuesday.

Montez testified in the case accusing Lopez, 27, of Santa Barbara of murder, assault and other felonies in connection with the death of Solis in February 2023.

Lopez was dating Solis’ mother, Stephaney Valladares, at the time of her death, and they lived together.

American Medical Response crews responded to the residence on Feb. 4, 2023, and found Solis unconscious and covered in vomit, according to court testimony. First responders were informed that a person had suffered injuries after falling from a bed.  

The girl was transported to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, where she was pronounced dead. Dr. Daniel Shepard, a physician at Cottage Hospital, testified that he observed “signs of trauma to the face” when Solis arrived at the hospital.

Montez testified that Solis died from blood loss after a fractured spinal cord punctured her aorta, the largest blood vessel in the body.

Prosecutors allege that the injury came from an “intentional, violent blow to her back.” Lopez was watching Solis at the time of her death, and no one was in the room with them at the time, authorities said.

Deputy District Attorney Sarah Barkley and Chief Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Karapetian lead the prosecution. Deputy Public Defender George Steele represents Lopez.

During his testimony, Montez described multiple injuries found during the autopsy of Solis.

The injuries included bruising to her gum line that he testified would have come from blunt force trauma. He also documented damage to some of her fingernails and bruises under her eye.

Montez testified that he also discovered multiple contusions to the top of Solis’ skull, including a grouping of three small bruises that he believed could come from knuckles on a fist.

He also testified that the injury to the spinal column was the result of a swift force to the back, and he did not believe the damage would come from falling off a standard bed.

Montez added that there were no injuries to other parts of her body that would normally be found in a fall.

When questioned on the stand whether a punch or a kick could cause that kind of damage, he stated that a kick was more likely to cause it. He added that the type of hit needed to inflict that kind of damage was a “violent, violent blow.”

Steele questioned Montez on the types of tests he ran during his examination and whether he confirmed the age of the bruises.

He also questioned whether Solis had any health issues or deficiencies that could have affected her bone health. Montez stated that her medical history did not include documentation that would require those kinds of tests and that, outside of her injuries, she was a healthy girl.

The prosecution also called as a witness Sarah Valverde, a sexual assault response team coordinator with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office. Valverde testified that she had interviewed Angel Valladares, Solis’ half-brother, days after her death.

In a video of the interview, he said Solis was unable to sit upright and seemed “scared.”

Over the course of the trial, the prosecution has presented evidence they believe shows that Lopez was physically controlling of Valladares and Solis.

On Tuesday morning, the prosecution introduced Abigail Alvarez, who testified that she was a childhood friend of Valladares. She added that their daughters were best friends before Solis’ death.

Alvarez testified that Valladares grew distant when she began dating Lopez and believed he was part of the reason. Alvarez added that she did not learn Solis had died until days after, and was unable to reach Valladares when she found out.

Another witness was Solis’ biological father, Miguel Solis, who said he noticed bruising and other marks on Solis in the weeks leading up to her death.

Her father also testified that he began noticing changes in her behavior and was documenting the injuries.

The prosecution shared Facebook posts in which Lopez talked about disciplining kids as well as text messages between him and Valladares talking about punishing Solis.

The criminal trial is scheduled to continue on Wednesday.

Lopez remains in custody at the Santa Barbara County Jail with bail set at $4 million.