Beau Bradshaw alleged murder: Health of baby crucial in case against father Ayden Bradshaw
A magistrate has decided who lawyers can question as baby Beau’s health in the days leading up to his death prove crucial in the murder case against his father.
Police & Courts
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Baby Beau Bradshaw’s health in the days before his death is likely to be pivotal in the murder case against his father Ayden.
In a directions hearing in Mackay Magistrates Court, his lawyers argued the need to cross-examine evidence from six medical professionals about the six-month-old bub’s wellness in the lead-up to June 2, 2020 when paramedics were called to their East Mackay home.
Magistrate Athol Kennedy handed down his decision this week, approving two of the six medical professionals after studying their proposed evidence and related documentation at length.
Ayden Jedd Bradshaw is charged with murder and causing grievous bodily harm over his son’s death. He has not yet entered any formal pleas.
It is understood the nurse who had relied on medical journals to back up her statement about the baby’s health before his death was not approved for cross-examination.
Mr Bradshaw’s solicitor Steven Hayles said it was vital to his client’s case that he ascertain whether Beau had sustained a bowel injury the previous week when he experienced a bout of gastro.
But the court heard claims Beau had gastro were contentious because the father allegedly told some witnesses his baby was well and others that he was not.
Beau suffered traumatic brain and other internal injuries including a perforated bowel, which police allege occurred on June 2. He died on June 4 after he was flown to Townsville University Hospital.
Mr Hayles was seeking to cross-examine five doctors – surgical, paediatric and pathology – and one nurse over possible alternative causes for Beau’s injuries.
But prosecutor Rob Beamish contested the application, arguing there was “no aim” to the cross-examination.
Mr Hayles said he wanted to explore whether or not Beau’s brain injury could have resulted from a “fit”-like situation similar to one that was reported to United Medical Centre on March 30, 2020 when his “eyes rolled back in his head and his head began to shake for about 20 seconds”.
He said it had not been established if CPR Mr Bradshaw performed on his son could have caused the retinal haemorrhages.
Mr Hayles said he also wanted to explore if the doctors were aware of any links between persistent diarrhoea and bowel ischaemia, and if the latter could cause bowel perforation.
He told the court the nurse “provided an opinion on the possible cause of the bowel perforation” that was unrelated to the police case against his client.
Mr Hayles said he wanted to explore if the bowel injury could have occurred as early as June 1 in the afternoon – 12 to 24 hours before Beau had surgery, and if there was any significance to “the observation of (Beau) having a distended bowel several days before” on May 29.
“If it’s a possibility it’s the cause of the bowel perforation then it’s an important issue that needs to be established … it’s also relevant to the timing of the injury as well as the cause,” Mr Hayles said.
“Defence is also seeking to establish the significance of the observation of a distended bowel just before the ambulance was called (on) June 2.
“And how soon after blunt force trauma is inflicted could it be expected to result in a distended bowel.”
The court heard Mr Bradshaw had allegedly raised claims his son had a distended bowel just before paramedics were called.
Mr Kennedy said the only person who saw the distended bowel before ambulance arrived was Mr Bradshaw.
Mr Hayles also wanted to ascertain how the paediatrician determined that the brain injuries and abdominal injuries happened at the same time.
Mr Bradshaw is expected to appear again in court on December 3 for a committal hearing.
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