Emma Jade Short has charges dropped over shocking burns to son ‘Little Jimmy’, Rodney Clough faces more serious allegations

All charges against a mother accused over horrific burns and bruising to her young son have been dropped – but the boy’s uncle now faces much more serious allegations.

A mother accused of criminal neglect over horrific burns and bruising suffered by her two-year-old son has walked free from court with all charges against her dropped.

In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, prosecutors tendered no evidence against Emma Jade Short, who had been accused of harming her son, known as “Little Jimmy”.

The withdrawal comes just one month after Ms Short was granted access to the siblings of the toddler, who had been hospitalised for burns to his body, bruises to his genitalia and meth in his urine.

It also follows prosecutors dropping their opposition to Ms Short being on bail – those conditions are now cancelled, due to the cessation of the case against her.

However, prosecutors will continue their case against Ms Short’s partner Rodney David Clough, who is also Jimmy’s uncle.

Emma Short leaves court on Thursday, with supporters, after her charges were dropped. Picture: Dean Martin

Criminal neglect accused Rodney David Clough. Picture: Facebook

On Thursday, Clough was further charged with aggravated causing harm, in addition to the criminal neglect charge he already faces.

David Moen, for Ms Short, welcomed the case being withdrawn.

“Like Joan of Arc, my client has been subjected to a virtual witch hunt by the press,” he said.

Magistrate Michelle Sutcliffe replied: “We don’t need commentary, Mr Moen.”

A previous ban on Ms Short seeing her son has now been cancelled, a move not opposed by prosecutors.

Victim of alleged criminal neglect, Little Jimmy. Pictures: Supplied

Outside court Mr Moen said Ms Short was very pleased the matter had come to an end.

“As I said in court, like Joan of Arc, she was subjected to a witch hunt, which was unfair and unrelenting from certain members of the public both through social media and personally,” he said.

“She hopes they will now realise she has done nothing wrong.”

He said the dropping of the charges meant “it was clear” that allegations Jimmy had meth in his urine were not correct.

“My client wishes the public to know that and hopes they will now understand that she did not do anything wrong,” he said.

The court has previously heard Clough and Ms Short, who are brother and sister-in-law, were in a relationship at the time of the allegations.

Ms Short, when initially arrested, told police she had seen steam rising from the shower he was in after the two-year-old had turned the hot tap on.

But in a second interview with police she told them she had not actually been at the Blair Athol hotel at which police allege the criminal neglect occurred, instead returning after a short time to find Clough “panicked” and her son lying on a bed.

Instead, she told police, she had taken her other children to her sister’s while Clough stayed with Little Jimmy, leaving a small window of time where he was not under her supervision.

The Blair Athol Manhattan Comfort Inn where it is alleged the criminal neglect of a two-year-old boy occurred. Picture: Brinley Duggan

The Blair Athol Medical Clinic where Emma Jade Short took her child before he was found with serious burns to his face and body. Picture: Brinley Duggan

Mr Moen told the Elizabeth Magistrates Court in late August that three-minute window was so small there was “no way” his client could have contributed to her son’s injuries.

Emma Short, mother of Jimmy, leaves Adelaide Magistrates Court after an earlier appearance. Picture: Emma Brasier

Ms Short and Clough were arrested and charged over the alleged neglect in early August after Ms Short took her son to a doctor’s surgery at Blair Athol wrapped in a towel and covered in burns.

Little Jimmy was then rushed to hospital where a forensic paediatrician found it was not just burns he was covered with, but bruises as well.

A test of his urine found he also had meth in his system.

The paediatrician also ruled the burns to Little Jimmy’s body were likely inflicted by being submerged in boiling water.

Little Jimmy spent 10 days in intensive care at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital before eventually being discharged.

As at the start of November, the court heard investigations were continuing into whether any long-term brain injuries has been sustained by the boy as a result of a lack of oxygen being delivered to his brain while he was submerged.

On Thursday, Ms Short left court accompanied by a large group of supporters and did not respond to requests for comment.

In Clough’s case, prosecutor Amy Fisher asked for a further 16 weeks to finalise the evidence.

“There is an outstanding toxicology report that will be important in the this matter,” she said.

“Upon receipt of that toxicology report, there might be a need to get an addendum report from a paediatrician.”

Ms Sutcliffe remanded Clough in custody to face court again in March.

*The Advertiser has chosen to use a pseudonym for the alleged victim.