COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH / AP) -- The South Carolina mother on trial in the case of her missing son told police she needed a break from parenting.
Prosecutors on Tuesday played a lengthy interview with Zinah Jennings. In the tape, a police sergeant tells Jennings he knows parenting is stressful and understands that she needs time away from her son.
But Sgt. Arthur Thomas also says he needs to see the boy to ensure he's OK.
In the approximately two-hour long tape, Jennings also said she feels worthless and doesn't care for her mother. She could be heard on the tape saying "no one cares about me."
Jennings is on trial for unlawful conduct toward a child. Her son was 18 months old when he was last seen around Thanksgiving.
Chief Randy Scott, two nurses with Palmetto Richland Hospital and officers with the Columbia Police Department have been questioned in the trial.
Both of the nurses said that Jennings came into the hospital in the early morning hours of Christmas Eve after being involved in a car accident. They said she was very vocal and it was hard to assess Jennings. To calm her down the nurses say they asked if she had any children. Jennings told them no. When the nurses cut off her clothes to provide medical attention to Jennings, they noticed a cesarean section scar. The nurses said they asked about the scar and Jennings told them she had a little girl.
During the cross examination of the nurses, they were asked about only writing down that Jennings had a lip contusion. There was no report of any head trauma even though Jennings was being held in the the unit for trauma victims.
Two officers, including one Special Victims Unit investigator, with the Columbia Police Department were also called to the stand.
Jennings has said her son is safe but won't say where he is. Her attorney said Tuesday police don't have any evidence his client harmed her son.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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