MIRAMICHI, N.B. – The mother of a 16-year-old girl whose body was found buried in a remote wooded area of northern New Brunswick is testifying today at the murder trial of Curtis Wayne Bonnell, the victim’s cousin.

Bonnell has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Hilary Bonnell three years ago.

Pam Fillier, Hilary’s mother, told the Court of Queen’s Bench in Miramichi that her daughter phoned her shortly after 3 a.m. on Sept. 5, 2009, the day she was last seen.

Fillier says Hilary, who was attending a house party in Esgenoopetitj (Es-geh-no-peh-titch) First Nation that night, sounded happy and appeared she may have been drinking.

Fillier says she phoned Hilary later that morning but there was no answer.

The court was then shown surveillance video from a local gas station that showed a girl enter the store between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. that day.

Fillier identified the girl as Hilary.

The video also showed a man arrive at the station about three minutes later — Fillier identified him as Curtis Bonnell.

Eight weeks have been set aside for the trial.