Court hears testimony about father who drank bottle of vodka before baby son’s death

November 25, 2009 by Shawn Douglas  
Filed under: News

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The court heard testimony today from the prosecution that a father accused of killing his baby had drank a bottle of vodka prior to the event.

The Winchester Crown Court was told by the prosecution that Craig Tattum, accused of killing his baby son Ethan, “quite clearly got drunk” the night that paramedics were called to his house, and that “somehow he injured baby Ethan.”

The prosecution’s Jane Miller QC told the court that on the night of July 4, 2008, Tattum’s wife Louise placed an emergency call to paramedics, stating their son had stopped breathing. During the phone conversation, emergency personnel could hear that Tattum was in a very distressed state.

Miller stated that when the ambulance crew arrived, the crew was forced to call police to the residence as Tattum smelled of alcohol, acted erratically, and interfered with their rescue efforts. Ethan was then transported to Poole General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Miller said that hospital personnel also noticed that Tattum was behaving erratically. Later that night Tattum was arrested on charges of manslaughter.

Miller added that Tattum denied the manslaughter charges, claiming that he left his son on the sofa while he went to prepare a baby bottle. Tattum claimed that when he returned, Ethan was bleeding from the nose and soon stopped breathing.

The court heard that baby Ethan had sustained trauma to the head and spine and had bruises on the face.

Ms Miller told the court: “He caused injuries to Ethan’s face either by hitting him or hitting him against something. He also probably shook him. The head injuries were severe and caused Ethan’s death.”

”We do not say Mr. Tattum intended to kill baby Ethan or intended to cause him serious harm, but whatever he did do that evening, it caused him to die.”

”He clearly assaulted him in some way and that assault any sober or reasonable person would realize would cause Ethan to sustain some harm,” she added.

The trial is expected to continue as the prosecution provides more evidence against Tattum.

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