NEW HAMPTON - The mother of a 12-day-old infant who died after allegedly being shaken gave an emotional account of her daughter's final hours Monday during the accused killer's trial.

Annette Eilderts, now living in Waterloo, testified that Aliya Blanchard - her newborn child - was a cheery baby. The baby only cried when she was hungry, Eilderts said. But on the morning of Feb. 6, 2008, Aliya was quiet and cold.

Doctors later said the baby suffered a skull fracture and was bleeding in her brain.

"I didn't believe it at first," Eilderts said. "I didn't know what was wrong with her, but I didn't think she was hurt."

Aliya's father and Eilderts live-in boyfriend, Randy Blanchard, 32, of Nashua, is standing trial in New Hampton for first-degree murder. Aliya died Feb. 12, 2008, and Blanchard is accused of shaking her and slamming her on a table.

Eilderts said she gave birth to Aliya via Caesarean section Jan. 30. After three days in the hospital, mother and daughter went home to Nashua, where Blanchard was waiting, Eilderts said.

There weren't many problems early on, Eilderts testified, except for an argument when Blanchard was trying to sleep at the hospital. Aliya was hungry and fussing.

"It was at nighttime, and he was telling me to make her quit," she said.

At home, a pattern emerged. Every three hours, Eilderts fed Aliya formula with a bottle. She always fed the baby except for once about 3 a.m. on that Tuesday.

Eilderts testified Blanchard woke to give Aliya a bottle.

"I remember hearing 'Shut up. Be quiet,'" Eilderts said. "Then I heard a noise, a commotion in the living room. It sounded like the glass table in the living room. I thought I was dreaming, so I went back to sleep."

Afterward, Aliya's demeanor changed, Eilderts testified. The infant was listless and would not eat. Eventually, she had a seizure and was rushed to a hospital.

Blanchard admitted to authorities he shook the baby after she began fussing. Eilderts said Blanchard told her a similar story while they were at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where the little girl was treated before dying.

"He eventually told me that he may have shook her a little bit," Eilderts said.

"How are you feeling?" prosecutor Denise Timmins asked.

"I am in shock. I didn't know what to think," Eilderts said.

Blanchard was arrested for child endangerment. The charge was later upgraded to first-degree murder when Aliya died six days later.

On Monday, Eilderts could barely get the words out as she described her decision to remove her daughter from life support when a doctor said the baby was brain dead.

"I decided to pull the breathing tube," Eilderts said.

During cross examination, defense attorney David Staudt focused on inconsistencies with depositions. He also addressed areas where Eilderts wasn't completely truthful with Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agents during an interview.

Eilderts said she wasn't sure if Blanchard first fed the girl at 3 a.m. Tuesday or once before then. In a previous deposition, she said he fed the baby at midnight.

Eilderts also admitted she smoked marijuana before going to Rochester, though she denied it in the DCI interview.

Eilderts said that was the only area where she wasn't truthful.

"But you were lying in your answers?" Staudt said.

"Just about the drug use," she said.

Eilderts on Monday also testified she took time in Rochester to get two tattoos but didn't say what the images depict. She gave conflicting answers about when Blanchard said he shook Aliya as well.

Testimony was scheduled to resume in the case this morning and is expected to continue through Wednesday. Blanchard waived his right to a jury trial, and the case is being heard by Judge Richard Stochl.

Contact Josh Nelson at (319) 291-1565 or josh.nelson@wcfcourier.com.