'My mother attacked me': A London manslaughter trial hears a 911 call from the accused

Daughter on trial for mother's death The manslaughter trial for Barbara Cabala, accused of killing her mother in 2021, begins. CTV London's Gerry Dewan reports.

Testimony in a manslaughter trial got underway in a London courtroom Thursday, with a woman accused of killing her mother four years ago.

In his opening address to the jury, assistant Crown Attorney James Spangenberg detailed the police response to an altercation between two women at this townhouse complex on July 7, 2021.

The court heard the 911 call from Barbara Cabala requesting help for her mother. The call-taker encouraged her to go to her mother and help with CPR, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

She told the call-taker, "My mother attacked me, and I tried to defend myself."

Const. Tom Policelli was first at the scene and was the first testify in the trial. He showed up to the unit at 392 Wilkins St. at around 7:30 p.m.

He testified that he opened an unlocked storm door and found the then-39-year-old Barabara Cabala lying on her side just inside the door. She gestured to the back of the unit saying, "Help my mother."

Within seconds, the officer determined 59-year-old Elzbieta Cabala had no vital signs and started chest compressions.

Fire crews, paramedics, and other police officers also arrived. Const. Gray Stinson testified that he stayed with Babara Cabala, noting she had smeared blood on her hands, forearms, chest and neck.

As first responders worked to save Elzbieta, Stinson charged her daughter with aggravated assault.

Then, as Barbara Cabala sat in the back of an ambulance, that charge was upgraded to manslaughter.

Stinson testified that at that point, Cabala said, "Does that mean my mother is dead?"

Barbara Cabala was then taken to hospital to be checked over for injuries. Stinson told the court that as she was being transported to police headquarters for processing Cabala said, "She hit me in the head with a pot."

Spangenburg told the court the Crown’s case will primarily be comprised of testimony from police, paramedics, forensics experts, and the coroner.