WARNING: This story contains details that readers may find disturbing

The forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy on the body of a 13-year-old girl found dead in a Burnaby park says he canB次元官网网址檛 be certain she was killed where the body was found.

Dr. Jason Morin told the British Columbia Supreme Court jury under cross-examination that the teen, who cannot be identified under the terms of a publication ban, had many relatively minor injuries on her head and knees.

Ben Lynskey, Ibrahim AliB次元官网网址檚 defence lawyer, questioned Morin about the nature of injuries found on places other than the girlB次元官网网址檚 genitals, including scrapes on her knees, as well as dirt found on her skin. He also asked whether she may have been dragged or had perhaps fallen on her knees in an unrelated incident.

Morin said the girlB次元官网网址檚 body wasnB次元官网网址檛 moved after post-death B次元官网网址渓ividityB次元官网网址� set in, which involves blood pooling and discoloration of the skin.

Her body was found in BurnabyB次元官网网址檚 Central Park in July 2017, just hours after her mother reported her missing.

Ali last month pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.

Morin previously told the jury in the British Columbia Supreme Court trial that his autopsy determined the girl died after being strangled, which had caused blood vessels in her eyes and face to burst.

He said again Tuesday during cross-examination that he was B次元官网网址渃onfidentB次元官网网址� it was strangulation that caused the girlB次元官网网址檚 death.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 relying on the facts and the findings in the case for me to come to the conclusion that strangulation was the cause of death,B次元官网网址� Morin said.

Morin told the jury during direct examination by the Crown last week that sperm was found in the girlB次元官网网址檚 body.

He said under cross-examination Tuesday it would be B次元官网网址渦nexpectedB次元官网网址� to find a mass of fluid in a body if the person had stood up, though he couldnB次元官网网址檛 provide any expert opinion on the specifics.

B次元官网网址淎 fluid would be subject to the laws of gravity just like anything else,B次元官网网址� he said.

Morin said he did not measure the amount of fluid at the time of autopsy.

Lynskey said that meant the pathologist was B次元官网网址渃ompletely guessingB次元官网网址� about how much was found, something he said was potentially significant to the case.

Crown attorney Isobel Keeley said in an opening statement that the court would hear evidence showing the murder was random, but DNA results would prove Ali sexually assaulted the girl.

She said the evidence would show the girl was passing through a neighbourhood park when she was dragged off a pathway into the forest by Ali, sexually assaulted and strangled.

The defence has not yet told the jury its theory of events.

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press

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