‘Worse state than death,’ doctor describes diagnosis of assault victim in trial of Habibullah Ahmadi

Ganatchio Trail murder trial Trial continues for man accused of killing 76-year-old woman after attack on the Ganatcho Trail. CTV Windsor's Michelle Maluske reports.

Windsor, Ont. — The trial of Habibullah “Daniel” Ahmadi is underway in a Chatham courtroom.

Ahmadi, 24, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Sara Anne Widholm, 76.  He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Widholm was assaulted while she walked along the Ganatchio Trail on Oct. 8, 2017.

Court heard Widholm suffered “blunt force trauma” injuries to her head and neck and a broken rib.

Thursday in court, Crown Attorney Renee Puskas read an Agreed Statement of Facts pertaining to Widholm’s injuries and cause of death, into the court record.

The statement included grisly images of Widholm taken by Dr. Balraj Jhawar, the neurosurgeon performed two surgeries on Widholm, to try to fix the injuries caused by “forcible trauma.”

Court heard Widholm suffered scalp and facial lacerations and an open fracture on her skull.

Dr. Jhawar also noted Widholms’ brain had shifted right to left during her attack.

After her surgeries, Dr. Jhawar determined Widholm had suffered the highest level of head injury possible, which left her in a “persistent vegetative state.”

According to the agreed statement of facts Dr. Jhawar described Widholms’ condition as a “worse state than death.”

Widholm was transferred to the Y Emara Center of Healthy Aging and Mobility in Windsor on May 2, 2018, where her care “moved in a palliative direction.”

Sara Widholm died on Dec. 15, 2018, 14 months after she was attacked.

The trial continues Friday.