By Howard Packowitz and Stephanie Rodriguez of Heart of Illlinois-ABC

NORMAL – The attorney for an accused child killer from Normal acknowledges his client is guilty of domestic battery, but did not commit more serious charges, including murder.

Defense attorney Todd Ringel, in his closing argument, referred to the graphic videos of Cynthia Baker physically abusing eight-year old Rica Rountree.

“She is 100 percent guilty of every domestic battery they charged her with. I’m her attorney and I’m telling you that, but those videos do not show aggravated battery, they do not show murder,” said Ringel.

“They show an offense she is accurately charged with,” Ringel also said.

As news partner Heart of Illinois-ABC reported…McLean County Assistant State’s Attorney Erika Reynolds replayed the video of Baker hitting the naked child and slamming her head on the wall in front of all the children in Baker’s home.

“For most, it’s unthinkable, but for Rica it was normal,” said Reynolds.

In the 407 Stanhope residence, Rica was treated as less than as this defendant’s punching bag, and her pain served as entertainment for the entire family, Reynolds told the jury.

Authorities claim Baker kicked the child so hard in the stomach that she died from her injuries in January at a Peoria hospital.

Baker did not take the stand in her own defense. The girl’s father, Richard Rountree, also did not testify.

Jurors started deliberating at about 3:45 p.m. on Monday, but they’ll return at 9 a.m. Tuesday with a new member. Judge Casey Costigan placed an alternate juror on the panel because of an issue with one of the jurors being late.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]