The father of eight-year-old Teagan Batstone B次元官网网址� who was on Dec. 10, 2014 shortly before her mother Lisa Batstone was arrested for murder B次元官网网址� said what he misses most about his daughter is holding her hand.

Gabe Batstone made the comment to media outside B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster Monday, moments after he testified at his ex-wifeB次元官网网址檚 second-degree murder trial.

Lisa, wearing black trousers and a light blue button-up shirt, sat motionless throughout the three-hour testimony, but looked back at her supporters several times to share a smile and wave.

Throughout the testimony, Gabe and Lisa didnB次元官网网址檛 make eye contact. Seated in the prisonerB次元官网网址檚 box, Lisa had a computer monitor taped to the desk in front of her, obstructing her view of Gabe. She would turn her head away when Gabe entered and exited the courtroom.

Defence counsel and prosecutors took turns examining Gabe, and heard about the loving relationship he shared with his daughter, the falling out of his and LisaB次元官网网址檚 relationship and the sometimes B次元官网网址渃ombativeB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渁crimoniousB次元官网网址� communication and custody battle that followed.

The father testified that the last time he saw his daughter was on the morning of Dec. 8. Gabe, who lives and works in Ottawa, was in Vancouver for an unexpected trip and had requested a visit with his daughter.

Gabe walked Teagan to her classroom at Rosemary Heights Elementary after a dentist appointment.

B次元官网网址淚 remember the steps down the hallway, holding her hand, of course B次元官网网址� she always loved to hold hands B次元官网网址� and seeing the door open and her hand, almost like a movie, her fingers pulling away as she walked and neither of you knowing, youB次元官网网址檒l never see each other again,B次元官网网址� he told CBC B次元官网网址 outside of the courthouse.

B次元官网网址淚f you could do it again, I would have hugged and kissed her and smothered her, right? But having said that, it was the beautiful touching way that we always left each other.B次元官网网址�

The court heard that Gabe received a message from Lisa soon after, which said that B次元官网网址渋t seems you rather I just disappear.B次元官网网址�

A message of that nature, Gabe told the court, B次元官网网址渄idnB次元官网网址檛 seem out of the ordinary.B次元官网网址�

Gabe said he received an email at 4:11 a.m. from Lisa on Dec. 10, 2014 saying that Teagan has the flu and that she wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be going to school.

TeaganB次元官网网址檚 body was found later that day in the back of a vehicle in the 13900-block of 35A Avenue.

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Gabe and Lisa separated in 2008, and divorced two years later. Gabe told the court that communication was a challenge between the two parents, and that they enlisted the help of Vancouver-based family counsellor Michael Elterman.

Gabe said Elterman was B次元官网网址減ivotalB次元官网网址� in creating a strategy for meaningful communication.

The strategy, Gabe told the court, was that he and Lisa would exchange emails once a week to discuss plans and child care.

The counsellor was helpful to B次元官网网址渞educe the tone, or perhaps fever,B次元官网网址� of the communication, he said.

However, Gabe told the court he was receiving texts, phone calls and emails from Lisa throughout the week at such a rate that B次元官网网址渋t would have been impossibleB次元官网网址� to respond to them all.

He told the court that his routine was to compile LisaB次元官网网址檚 messages and respond accordingly in an email on Sundays. He avoided phone calls, he told the court, because they werenB次元官网网址檛 recorded but he would sometimes answer or call back to see if there was an emergency.

Those answered phone calls, Gabe told the court, would B次元官网网址渙ftenB次元官网网址� end with him hanging up on Lisa or vice versa.

The defence questioned Gabe on the type of language he used with Lisa, particularly after she tried to kill herself in 2012.

Defence counsel Tony Paisana asked if Gabe told Lisa that she B次元官网网址渁bandonedB次元官网网址� Teagan by trying to commit suicide. He also asked Gabe if he ever mocked LisaB次元官网网址檚 intelligence.

Gabe said he couldnB次元官网网址檛 recall either.

B次元官网网址淚 think she took opportunities to make my life more difficult,B次元官网网址� Gabe told the court.

In the months leading to TeaganB次元官网网址檚 death, Gabe told the court he noticed a change in LisaB次元官网网址檚 tone. Paisana suggested Lisa was B次元官网网址渟piralling.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 thought something was clearly different,B次元官网网址� Gabe responded.

The trial was initially booked until Dec. 7, but is now expected to continue for several more weeks.