Tot had to have part of skull removed after suffering blunt force trauma, trial hears


Tot had to have part of skull removed after suffering blunt force trauma, trial hears

Two people have denied causing serious brain injuries to a toddler who suffered blunt force trauma to her head.

Amy Cave and Craig Neill were charged after the youngster collapsed and was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery.

Teesside Crown Court heard how 20-year-old Cave was at the Darlington property when the paramedics arrived to treat the seriously injured child.

Rupert Doswell KC, prosecuting, said Cave took a photograph of the medics treating the toddler before posting it onto Snapchat during the incident on May 26, this year.

She was arrested and charged with allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm.

The barrister said her co-accused, Neill, told police he was not present when the injuries were inflicted on the child.

Opening the case against the pair, Mr Doswell said Neill was living on and off at Cave's address on Waltham Close, Darlington, at the time of the alleged offence.

He said: "Cave told the 999 call handler that the child is barely breathing. A male voice, identifiable at Neill, can be heard in the background - both are clearly panicking.

"It is established that the child is unconscious and not breathing at all. While the ambulance is on the way, the operator asks Miss Cave to give CPR.

"You will hear in the phone call that Amy Cave is crying and the male voice is no longer heard at all."

The critically injured one-year-old was initially taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle for emergency treatment for a fractured skull.

Paramedics and then police were called to an address in the Branksome area on the afternoon of May 26 at about 1.45pm following reports of an unresponsive child.

Mr Doswell said: "Paramedics immediately noticed the child had dark bruising to her face, head and neck. The child was unconscious and grunting.

"Upon the child's top being lifted, further bruising was noted to her chest, burns were visible to the child's fingers and bruising to the groin area and also to the legs.

"The bruises all appear to be different sizes and shapes."

The father of the child confirms to the jury that he saw injuries in the weeks leading up to the child being taken to hospital with a skull fracture.

He had initially been identified as a suspect but police quickly ruled out that he had any involvement in the incident.

The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, confirms that he knew Neill before his child suffered the injuries in May this year.

Dealing with the severity of the head injury, Mr Doswell said the child had bruising behind her ears which is consistent with a skull fracture at the base and was caused by significant head trauma."

A medical expert is expected to tell the jury that the injury was caused by a blunt-force impact and was not accidental.

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The jury heard how part of the child's skull was removed to allow for the swelling to go down and further examinations showed both of the child's wrists had been broken.

Cave, 20, of Waltham Close, Darlington, pleaded not guilty to the charge of allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm.

While Neill, of Yarm Road, Darlington, denies a charge of causing a child to suffer serious physical harm.

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