The father of eight-year-old Teagan Batstone 含羞草研究社� who was on Dec. 10, 2014 shortly before her mother Lisa Batstone was arrested for murder 含羞草研究社� said what he misses most about his daughter is holding her hand.

Gabe Batstone made the comment to media outside B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster Monday, moments after he testified at his ex-wife含羞草研究社檚 second-degree murder trial.

Lisa, wearing black trousers and a light blue button-up shirt, sat motionless throughout the three-hour testimony, but looked back at her supporters several times to share a smile and wave.

Throughout the testimony, Gabe and Lisa didn含羞草研究社檛 make eye contact. Seated in the prisoner含羞草研究社檚 box, Lisa had a computer monitor taped to the desk in front of her, obstructing her view of Gabe. She would turn her head away when Gabe entered and exited the courtroom.

Defence counsel and prosecutors took turns examining Gabe, and heard about the loving relationship he shared with his daughter, the falling out of his and Lisa含羞草研究社檚 relationship and the sometimes 含羞草研究社渃ombative含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渁crimonious含羞草研究社� communication and custody battle that followed.

The father testified that the last time he saw his daughter was on the morning of Dec. 8. Gabe, who lives and works in Ottawa, was in Vancouver for an unexpected trip and had requested a visit with his daughter.

Gabe walked Teagan to her classroom at Rosemary Heights Elementary after a dentist appointment.

含羞草研究社淚 remember the steps down the hallway, holding her hand, of course 含羞草研究社� she always loved to hold hands 含羞草研究社� and seeing the door open and her hand, almost like a movie, her fingers pulling away as she walked and neither of you knowing, you含羞草研究社檒l never see each other again,含羞草研究社� he told CBC News outside of the courthouse.

含羞草研究社淚f you could do it again, I would have hugged and kissed her and smothered her, right? But having said that, it was the beautiful touching way that we always left each other.含羞草研究社�

The court heard that Gabe received a message from Lisa soon after, which said that 含羞草研究社渋t seems you rather I just disappear.含羞草研究社�

A message of that nature, Gabe told the court, 含羞草研究社渄idn含羞草研究社檛 seem out of the ordinary.含羞草研究社�

Gabe said he received an email at 4:11 a.m. from Lisa on Dec. 10, 2014 saying that Teagan has the flu and that she wouldn含羞草研究社檛 be going to school.

Teagan含羞草研究社檚 body was found later that day in the back of a vehicle in the 13900-block of 35A Avenue.

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Gabe and Lisa separated in 2008, and divorced two years later. Gabe told the court that communication was a challenge between the two parents, and that they enlisted the help of Vancouver-based family counsellor Michael Elterman.

Gabe said Elterman was 含羞草研究社減ivotal含羞草研究社� in creating a strategy for meaningful communication.

The strategy, Gabe told the court, was that he and Lisa would exchange emails once a week to discuss plans and child care.

The counsellor was helpful to 含羞草研究社渞educe the tone, or perhaps fever,含羞草研究社� of the communication, he said.

However, Gabe told the court he was receiving texts, phone calls and emails from Lisa throughout the week at such a rate that 含羞草研究社渋t would have been impossible含羞草研究社� to respond to them all.

He told the court that his routine was to compile Lisa含羞草研究社檚 messages and respond accordingly in an email on Sundays. He avoided phone calls, he told the court, because they weren含羞草研究社檛 recorded but he would sometimes answer or call back to see if there was an emergency.

Those answered phone calls, Gabe told the court, would 含羞草研究社渙ften含羞草研究社� end with him hanging up on Lisa or vice versa.

The defence questioned Gabe on the type of language he used with Lisa, particularly after she tried to kill herself in 2012.

Defence counsel Tony Paisana asked if Gabe told Lisa that she 含羞草研究社渁bandoned含羞草研究社� Teagan by trying to commit suicide. He also asked Gabe if he ever mocked Lisa含羞草研究社檚 intelligence.

Gabe said he couldn含羞草研究社檛 recall either.

含羞草研究社淚 think she took opportunities to make my life more difficult,含羞草研究社� Gabe told the court.

In the months leading to Teagan含羞草研究社檚 death, Gabe told the court he noticed a change in Lisa含羞草研究社檚 tone. Paisana suggested Lisa was 含羞草研究社渟piralling.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淚 thought something was clearly different,含羞草研究社� Gabe responded.

The trial was initially booked until Dec. 7, but is now expected to continue for several more weeks.