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

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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Murder in Greenford: Mother who had hand cut off

The estranged husband of Geeta Aulakh, a murdered mother left dying and mutilated in Greenford, north west London, is being questioned by police in connection with her murder along with six other men.

Geeta Aulakh, 28, a mother-of-two boys aged 8 and 9, was found fatally injured by a passerby at 1900 GMT on Monday.

Discovered just a short distance from the front door of her childminder who looked after the boys, witnesses said she had serious head injuries and one of her hands had been cut off.

She was taken to Charing Cross Hospital, but was pronounced dead just over four hours later at 23.20 GMT.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Andy Chalmers said: “When the victim was found we know that a lot of people were in the street and that several people may have tried to administer First Aid before the police or ambulance arrived.

“These people left the scene before speaking to police and I would ask that anyone who was there, or anyone else who has information about the incident, call us in the strictest of confidence.”

Investigators believe she was attacked shortly after leaving work at Sunrise Radio to pick up her two young children on Monday evening.

         

Jury Selection Begins for Second Baby Grace Trial

The jury selection process began Wednesday, October 14, in the second capital murder trial in the death of 2-year old Riley Ann Sawyers, the little girl known as Baby Grace until her body was identified.

Approximately 1,200 prospective jury pool members appeared at the Galveston County Courthouse to begin the selection process.

The trial is scheduled to begin October 27 with final jury selection at that time.  The death penalty is not being sought by the prosecution in this trial for Riley’s stepfather, Royce Clyde Zeigler II, 22, of Spring.  Judge David Garner of the Galveston County District Court has been concerned that it might be difficult to find an unbiased jury pool because of the publicity the case has received.

The first capital murder trial in Riley’s death was held in February.  Riley’s mother, Kimberly Dawn Trenor, 21, was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.  The first trial revealed that Trenor disciplined Riley by hurling her onto the floor and then holding her under water.  Riley died of head injuries, and then Trenor and Zeigler reportedly put the child’s body in plastic bags and placed it in a storage shed for more than a month.  The body was placed in a box, tossed off the Galveston Island railroad bridge and later discovered by a fisherman on an island.

Judge Garner has asked the 1,200 new prospective jury pool members to report for the next three days.  Each day the prejudiced jurors will be eliminated until 125 jury pool members are remaining.  An additional prospective jury pool of 2,400 is available should the Court have difficulty in selecting the 125 jury pool.  The final jury selection will take place on October 27 when twelve jurors and several alternate jurors will be chosen from the pool.

         

Toddler Dies After Television Falls Off Wall

A two-year-old boy has tragically died after a television fell on him.

Police have said that there were no suspicious circumstances into the death, but that an investigation would be carried out.

The toddler, from Basildon, Essex, died from head injuries in hospital. The father was at home in the flat with the boy when he was injured.

“This was a tragic accident,” said a spokesman. “There are no suspicious circumstances. But an investigation is being carried out and a report will be prepared for the coroner.”

The television was thought to have been mounted on the wall of the property. The police were called to the scene by paramedics who had responded to a 999 call.

         

Injuries From Baby Slings Rise As They Gain More Popularity

Parents carrying their babies in slings can be seen everywhere, but as baby slings get more popular, more injuries are happening from them.

According to Consumer Reports, as baby slings get more popular with parents, the number of serious injuries that occur from them are on the rise. Don Mays, senior director of product safety at Consumer Reports, says “In many cases it’s because the baby suffers skull fractures and serious head injuries.”

Mays also says that at least 4 babies have died from baby sling accidents in the past 5 years. Some of these deaths were actually not from falls, but were from positional asphyxia. Mays explains that as “the baby’s head is so far forward that their airway gets obstructed and they can’t breathe.”

There have also been quite a few baby slings that have been recalled, such as The Ellaroo Ring Sling Baby Carriers and The Infantino SlingRider Carriers. These carriers were recalled in the past two years.

According to Consumer Reports there are no safety standards that are set in place for baby slings. Mays, says that “it would be better to use a front-pouch type carrier such as a Baby Bjorn or what they call a Snugglie. That sort of design is safer than a sling.”

         

Carmen Toscano Naranjo - Childminder shakes baby to death

An Old Bailey Court has heard how Carmen Toscano Naranjo, 34, a childminder from South London, “shook” an eight-month-old baby, Dylan Salinas, to death while trying to “force feed” him.

Baby Dylan’s heart stopped at the scene. However was revived but later died from brain damage two months later on 2 June 2007.

Carmen Toscano Naranjo denies the murder.

The prosecution, Jonathan Rees, said her: “Strict attitude to feeding children in her care” caused her to shake baby Dylan in a rage.

Jonathan Rees continued saying: “The prosecution suggest the defendant’s anxiety about children eating well and finishing their food may lie behind the defendant’s loss of temper that day.

“Dylan suffered head injuries caused by the defendant deliberately assaulting him following a loss of temper.”

The childminder has also been charged with child cruelty over slapping a girl of seven on two separate occasions after refusing to eat. Again, she denies the charge.

Rebecca Salinas is baby Dylan’s mother, she told police that Ms Naranjo had said the baby was thin because she was not properly feeding him.

Ms Naranjo, from Ecuador, claimed she had evidence to show the toddler died from illness.

Dylan had bruises and scratches on his face and swollen and cut lips, Mr Rees said, but Ms Naranjo claimed his gums were infected.

A large amount of milk had been taken from his stomach at hospital and she allegedly told the nurse Dylan had choked while feeding.

The case continues at the Old Bailey.