Homicide trial advised Ethan Ives-Griffiths’s accidents have been the sort seen in a high-speed street crash or fall from an ideal peak of as much as 5 storeys
The horrific accidents suffered by a toddler allegedly murdered by his grandparents have been detailed to a jury in the present day.
Ethan Ives Griffiths, two, had suffered a traumatic catalogue of greater than 40 accidents {that a} Dwelling Workplace pathologist concluded might solely have been brought on by shaking or assault.
The toddler had been injured and his blood had clotted so usually that “the clotting components within the blood had been used up,” Dr Rodgers mentioned, including: “It is a terminal, essential, dying occasion”.
Ethan’s grandparents Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, are on trial at Mould Crown Courtroom the place they’re accused of homicide, which they deny.
Dr Brian Rodgers advised the courtroom in the present day that he carried out a autopsy examination on Ethan at Alder Hey Kids’s Hospital mortuary three days after his loss of life on August 16, 2021.
He mentioned Ethan “appeared small” and never properly nourished. He mentioned: “He appeared skinny… his left ear lobe had been pierced.”
Dr Rodgers mentioned Ethan weighed round one and a half stone however ought to have weighed round two stone at his age.
He mentioned the accidents the two-year-old had suffered have been often seen in victims of extreme trauma like a high-speed street crash.
He mentioned: “You aren’t going to get this bleeding and spinal damage from a low degree pressure. You’d need to fall from an ideal peak – three, 4, 5 storeys from a balcony” (to have Ethan’s accidents).”
Ethan’s accidents included bruises on his brow, enamel, cheek, jaw, lip, nostril, lip, ear, neck, chest, arm, finger, hand, forearm, elbow, knees, thighs and shins.
Dr Rodgers mentioned a few of them could have been brought on by slaps, tough dealing with, being grabbed or pressure.
He mentioned {that a} blood clot within the mind and within the mind stem in the back of the top have been “a sign of head trauma, with or with out shaking”.
There was additionally bleeding in Ethan’s intestine and bowel which Dr Rodgers mentioned have been prone to be separate areas of bleeding.
He mentioned: “One thing has occurred to this kid’s stomach to trigger bleeding in these two websites. The more than likely trigger is a blow to the stomach delivered twice.
There was additionally “bleeding within the eyes”.
Dr Rodgers mentioned: “In a small child it is gripping and vigorous shaking. In an toddler the top is sort of heavy and the top doing that on high of the backbone and the movment of the mind damages the nerve roots of the spinal wire. So to me that exhibits a component of shaking (on this case).”
He mentioned that the dearth of tissue below the lip on the gum was a “crimson flag” for trauma and a chipped tooth prompt an influence to the mouth.
He mentioned: “There was a multiplicity of marks scattered over Ethan’s physique. A few of the crimson marks to the face are prone to be small tiny areas of harm – very small bruises.
“There have been additionally apparent brusies that have been brisker – pink or blue – and older bruises that have been brown… Different marks raised the potential for gripping accidents to an arm, to a left leg.”
Dr Rodgers mentioned a second professional, Dr Daniel Du Plessis, confirmed no pure illness might have trigger Ethan’s accidents.
He mentioned there was proof of an “acute occasion very near the collapse” on August 14 and previous head accidents that brought on power bleeding.
Michael and Kerry Ives, of Kingsley Highway, Backyard Metropolis, are additionally charged with inflicting or permitting the loss of life of a kid, and cruelty to an individual below 16 years. Ethan’s mom Shannon Ives, aged 28, of Nant Garmon, Mould, can also be on trial accused of inflicting or permitting the loss of life of a kid, and in addition cruelty to an individual below 16 years.
All three deny the fees. The trial is predicted to final six weeks.
The case continues
