Dead toddler Mason Jet Lee’s stepfather makes bail bid

UPDATE: Prosecutors will argue the man charged over the death of Mason Lee inflicted a blow on the toddler and then failed to provide medical treatment, a court has heard. A judge denied him bail after concerns over text messages found on his phone.

Mason Jet Lee was found dead at a home at a Caboolture house on June 11, 2016.

A MAN charged with manslaughter over the death of Mason Jet Lee has been denied bail in the Supreme Court.

Andrew William O'Sullivan.

William Andrew O’Sullivan, 35, has been behind bars since his arrest on July 29.

He is accused of failing to provide his 21-month-old stepson Mason with medical treatment in the lead-up to his death at a Caboolture home in June from peritonitis, brought on by a ruptured part of the small intestine.

Crown prosecutor Vicki Loury said there was evidence O’Sullivan caused “the blow which led to the death of the child”.

“It would have been obvious to any caregiver that this child would have been becoming increasingly unwell,” she added.

The court was told the prosecution’s case would be that he inflicted the blow, and then failed to provide medical treatment.

It is alleged the fatal injury to Mason’s upper abdomen was sustained about two days before his death.

O’Sullivan’s defence barrister, Ruth O’Gorman, said the prosecution case was not particularly strong.

She said O’Sullivan did not make any attempts to flee in between Mason’s death and his arrest.

In denying bail, Justice Peter Flanagan said he was concerned investigators found text messages on O’Sullivan’s phone “which revealed he has threatened to shoot people with a shotgun”.

He said Mason’s injury was survivable with medical treatment.

EARLIER

THE stepfather of Queensland toddler Mason Jet Lee, who has been charged over the boy’s death, will make a bid to be released from jail.

William Andrew O’Sullivan, 35, is one of three people charged with the manslaughter of the 21-month-old child, who was found dead at a Caboolture home, north of Brisbane, on June 11.

O’Sullivan, who has been in custody since his arrest in late July, could be released from prison if his bail application in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday is successful.

In an affidavit filed with the court, O’Sullivan said he was prepared to not have any child under his care while on bail and not contact his co-accused, Ann Maree Lee and Ryan Hodson.

It is alleged the trio failed to provide medical treatment to Mason, who died as a result of inflammation from a ruptured small intestine.

Lee, Mason’s mother, remains in custody while Hodson, 17, was released on bail in August.