"They walked away from my car. (Elizabeth) turned, waved at me. She would walk a little bit and wave at me," Ukera said.

Tiffany Dickerson, 26 -- whose 3-year-old son Shomari died and 2-year-old daughter Makayla was seriously injured -- told jurors she "collapsed to the floor" after learning of the fire. Her oldest daughter, then 5-year-old Kiyanna, was at school during the blaze.

Tata Trial Mother Testifies

Tata's attorneys say murder charges are excessive and that when the fire broke out, she tried to save the children, who ranged in age from 16 months to 3 years old.

Tata initially told authorities she was in the home's bathroom when the fire happened. DeGeurin, Tata's attorney, attributed her lie to immaturity.

Legal experts say that if prosecutors can prove the deaths occurred because she abandoned the children to go shopping, they don't need to prove intent to harm to secure a murder conviction. Under Texas law, a person can be convicted of felony murder if he or she committed an underlying felony and that action led to the death.

After the fire, Tata fled to Nigeria but was captured after about a month, returned to the U.S. in March 2011 and has remained jailed. She was born in the U.S. but has Nigerian citizenship.

Shomari Dickerson, 3, Elizabeth Kojah, 20 months, Kendyll Stradford, 20 months, and Elias Castillo, 16 months, died in the fire at Jackie's Child Care on Crest Park at Waypark Drive shortly before 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 24, 2011. Three other children were injured. Tata is standing trial for felony murder first for the youngest of the victims -- Elias Castillo.

Tata's trial is expected to last about a month. Testimony was to resume Thursday.