Man charged for baby's manslaughter

NEWBORN baby Rose-Marie Williams was shaken and dropped on her head allegedly by a man who told family he was her father, a Supreme Court jury heard.

Mark Albert Shoesmith outside Townsville Supreme Court on Monday. Picture: Townsville Bulletin

NEWBORN baby Rose-Marie Williams was shaken and dropped on her head allegedly by a man who told family and friends he was her father, a Supreme Court jury has been told.

Mark Albert Shoesmith, 30, is on trial in the Townsville Supreme Court before Judge Kerry Cullinane, charged with one count of manslaughter against the three-month-old infant.

Crown prosecutor Vicki Loury opened the case on Monday and told the jury that the 30-year-old was accused of being responsible for the child’s death after he presented her at Proserpine hospital on December 9, 2007, with large skull fractures and extensive brain injuries.

“She was airlifted to Townsville and despite all efforts she deteriorated and her life support was switched off five days later,” Ms Loury said.

The prosecutor said medical experts would give evidence in the trial that baby Rose-Marie was brain dead but had “a number of other injuries that tell a tale of abuse”, including an old fracture to the collarbone, fractures to her shin and thigh bones and a retinal haemorrhage.

Ms Loury said that it cannot be told precisely how Rose-Marie died but alleged she “suffered a severe blow to the head ... also an element of shaking” and claimed her injuries “were not consistent with a fall from a bed or a carers’ arms”.

The crown prosecutor said in Shoesmith’s police interview that he told them the child “hit her head on a coffee table and concrete floor” after falling from between his legs while he was sitting on the couch.

Ms Loury said in Shoesmith’s statement he claimed to have sought medical treatment the next day because the baby girl was discoloured, blue around lips and floppy like “jelly”.

The defendant, represented by defence barrister Greg Lyneham, is not Rose-Marie’s biological father. The court heard he appeared on the scene a week before the child’s 17-year-old mother, Kimberley Anne Williams, from Dysart, gave birth.

Mr Shoesmith’s family gave evidence the de facto told them Rose-Marie was his child, he then assumed the role of “a doting new dad” and claimed he was the main carer of the baby at the Conway Beach cottage the couple rented.

Ms William’s mother, Sue Williams, broke down when asked about her granddaughter’s death. She said Rose-Marie “was always a good baby” and her daughter, who suffers Asperger’s syndrome and epilepsy, was caring towards the child.

The mother will not be giving evidence into the death.

Originally published as Man charged for baby's manslaughter