Overview

• Germayne and Lisa Cunningham face one count of first-degree murder and 11 child-abuse charges in the death of 7-year-old Sanaa in 2017.
• Prosecutors showed photos and videos of Sanaa confined to a laundry room and garage with taped gloves and goggles, appearing malnourished in the months before her death.
• A forensic review of the couple’s cellphones cited references to locking the child in parts of the home and zip-tying her to objects, and a nurse is expected to testify about seeing her listless and covered in marks.
• The defense says Sanaa had severe psychiatric and medical issues, that restraints were protective or medically advised, and that her fatal sepsis was a missed infection rather than intentional neglect.
• The autopsy cites complications of sepsis with the manner of death listed as unknown, and the judge projects a lengthy trial through March 2026 with the death penalty off the table.