Girlfriend testifies in trial of dad charged with killing son, 3

CAMDEN, N.J. (WTXF) - Prosecutors have said David "DJ" Creato killed his 3-year-old son Brendan, a year and a half ago, because the little boy had become an impediment to his relationship with a teenage girlfriend.

Tuesday, David Creato's girlfriend, 19-year-old Julia Stensky, took the stand.

She said DJ would often get babysitters when he had visitation with Brendan because she would ask him to. She mentioned Brendan had asthma, and sometimes she could hear him breathing loudly from the other room, when she slept over. Brendan would usually sleep on the couch at his dad's.

She also testified DJ would often check her social media accounts to keep tabs on her. She said he was jealous of her relationship with other guys.

Plus, Stensky told the jury DJ was having financial troubles, he wasn't always getting paid on time, and he was also having car problems.

The day started with Stensky trying to avoid testifying and invoke her right against self-incrimination, since detectives are using her previous social media posts as evidence she was resentful towards the child. But the judge eventually ruled she must answer questions, allowing her lawyer to sometimes advise her.

During that hearing, the prosecutor went over Stensky's previous statement with her, without the jury in the courtroom. She talked about DJ having custody of Brendan on certain days, and DJ seeming paranoid. She also mentioned attending school in New York and a certain classmate there, and about DJ always being broke.

Stensky said -- without the jury listening -- she was not happy DJ had his son when she commuted back over the weekend Brendan was killed, but didn't remember much from that weekend. The transcript of her statement said she and DJ couldn't go anywhere that weekend. Also, Stensky and DJ were supposed to go to Apple Pie Hill in Wharton State Forest that day, but went to Cooper River Park instead.

Brendan's body was found in October 2015 along the banks of the Cooper River, in a wooded area of Haddon Township.

Last Thursday, the jury made a trip to that scene. The Port Authority officer who found Brendan's body walked them through. The media was not allowed to be there. The judge also had a memorial to Brendon there removed, so jurors wouldn't be influenced.

Creato, 23, maintains his innocence, saying his son wandered away from home on his own shortly before he was found about a mile away.

The trial takes place only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.