The Anneli Auer and Jens Kukka sexual offense trial continued in Southwest Finland District Court with defense lawyers presenting previously sealed child welfare documents. The defense claims these records show warm relationships between the children and their mother continued long after the alleged crimes would have occurred.
Defense attorney Markku Fredman submitted extensive documentation arguing the charges lack foundation. Medical examinations from the period showed no physical injuries matching the abuse allegations, with records describing the children's skin as "clean" during checkups.
According to child welfare documents from 2009, the children frequently expressed missing their mother during visits. On one occasion, workers noted children hugged Auer so tightly they had to be physically separated.
Prosecutors allege the abuse occurred between November 2007 and July 2008, but defense documents show positive mother-child interactions continued through late 2009. The children were described as cheerful and well-adjusted during psychological evaluations that year.
Medical scans from December 2011 revealed tissue changes, but experts determined these resulted from accidents rather than abuse. No immediate medical evidence of sexual crimes was documented.
Defense attorneys argue the children's accounts only changed after being placed in foster care, suggesting outside influence affected their testimony. The documents contain numerous observations of ordinary family life, shared playtime, and warm sibling relationships before the placement.
Prosecutor Leena Koivuniemi countered that warm mother-child relationships aren't unusual in cases involving close relative violence. She noted children naturally miss their mother and home environment regardless of circumstances.
The contradiction between abuse allegations and documented medical evidence presents a challenge for the court. If the children maintained close bonds with their mother after the alleged crimes, this could undermine prosecution claims about prior abuse trauma.
Both defendants were absent from Tuesday's proceedings as the court examined written evidence. The court had previously classified much defense material as confidential but now aims to handle documents as publicly as possible.
The case continues as judges must determine when and how any relationship breakdown occurred between the children and their parents.