WARNING: This article includes references to possible child abuse that some viewers may find disturbing.
HAMPTON, Va. — The brother of Codi Bigsby, a boy from Hampton who was reported missing over two years ago, provided testimony in the murder trial against their father, Cory Bigsby. In his testimony, he spoke about a time in which he thought his little brother Codi “looked dead.”
Codi’s 7-year-old brother testified Thursday – the fourth day of the trial. He testified in a separate room outside of the courtroom.
The brother claimed Cory Bigsby would often punish Codi and said “he would spank him.”
He also claimed there was an instance in which he couldn’t wake up his brother Codi. “His face was red, it was dry, and it was bruised,” the brother said.
The brother recalled the exchange he had with his father following the alleged incident:
“I asked [my dad] what was wrong with Codi. He said nothing was wrong with him,” the brother said.
When the prosecution asked the boy if he believed his dad, he said: “No…because [Codi] looked dead.”
In the courtroom, Cory Bigsby was visibly shaking and somewhat emotional. Members of the public who were in the courtroom were upset during the child’s testimony and began crying.
During his testimony, the child did struggle with description of time.
Disappearance of Codi Bigsby
'He looks frightened:' Codi's mother testifies in Cory Bigsby murder trial
What's happened thus far in the trial?
The murder trial against Cory Bigsby, who stands accused of killing his son Codi, began Monday.
The jury has been finalized and attorneys gave their opening statements.
During the prosecution's opening remarks, attorney Dylan Arnold accused Bigsby of killing Codi months before he reported him missing.
Defense attorney Kenneth Singleton claimed Bigsby frantically called 911 after he couldn’t find his son. He told jurors they’d hear “no evidence of a murder.”
After opening statements were presented, five people were called to the stand to provide testimony.
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Codi's mother testifies
A noteworthy testimony was provided by Codi’s mother, Dina Kareem.
On the stand, Kareem claimed that she and Cory Bigsby, who share four kids, have not been in a relationship since 2019. After she was hospitalized in 2020, she left their children in the care of Bigsby, she claimed.
She claimed she had not spoken to Codi since April 2021 – about nine months before he was reported missing.
She claimed that in April 2021, she got an email from Bigsby that read, in part, "[Codi] is still doing the same stuff... He needs to come back to you... I do not want to seriously hurt him to protect my babies." She did not believe the claims Bigsby was making in the email, she said.
Who is Codi Bigsby?
Many are hoping the trial will provide answers to a question the Hampton community has been asking for over two years: What happened to Codi Bigsby?
Codi was 4 years old when he was reported missing in January 2022. Since then, there's been no trace of him, but law enforcement believes he's dead.
Over a year later in June 2023, Cory Bigsby was charged with murdering Codi.
He's also facing child abuse and neglect charges that are unrelated to Codi's disappearance.
Since Codi was reported missing, the community has organized search parties, decorated a fence in his honor and rallied to fight for answers.
We have a crew covering Cory Bigsby's trial all week. Stay with News 3 for updates.
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