Gran
A worried grandmother exclaimed “what the hell” when she saw a bruise on her granddaughter’s back just days before she was allegedly murdered by her mother and her boyfriend, a court heard. Isabelle Welsh, two, collapsed at her home in Thornaby, Teesside, having suffered a “massive head injury” from which she could not be saved, jurors have been told. He death came after she was physically and sexually abused by the pair, it is claimed.
Her mother, Alexandra Walker, 25, and Harrison Simpson, 22, deny murder, allowing the death of a child, sexual assault and child cruelty. Jurors at Teesside Crown Court were today played an interview maternal grandmother Claire Walker gave to detectives following Isabelle’s death in September.
She told police the toddler was chatty and intelligent and had generally been in good health up to her sustaining a broken leg for which she received hospital treatment.
Jurors have been told this was 11 days before she sustained a fatal head injury.
After the mother and toddler were allowed home from hospital, the grandmother visited them and spotted a bruise on Isabelle’s back.
She told detectives she said “what the hell” when she saw it.
Ms Walker told police her daughter explained that Isabelle had bumped her head on the settee.
She told police she thought Isabelle had picked up a virus from hospital which explained why she looked unwell.
The grandmother also gave evidence in court from behind a screen and told Mark McKone KC, representing her daughter, that she had never met Simpson, who had been dating Walker for some months.
Ms Walker told the court her daughter explained that Simpson “had anxiety and didn’t want to meet with me”.
She said her daughter had been a victim of domestic abuse in the past and that was why she had CCTV cameras in her home.
She had never seen her daughter hit Isabelle, and commented her granddaughter was “always immaculately dressed” and the house was always clean.
Asked by Mr McKone if her daughter loved Isabelle, Ms Walker replied: “I think she did.”
Stepfather Daniel Ackroyd told police he received a panicked phone call from Walker after her Isabelle collapsed.
He rushed to the house and performed first aid on the toddler until paramedics arrived, jurors were told.
In court, Mr McKone asked: “Do you agree Alex worshipped Isabelle?”
The stepfather said Walker was “visibly shaking” when he arrived, and he dropped to the floor to help Isabelle.
Mr McKone asked: “Was Alex very distressed?”
Sorry, we are unable to accept comments about this article at the moment. However, you will find some great articles which you can comment on right now in our Comment section.