Beau Bradshaw murder: Father Ayden Bradshaw’s case committed to supreme court

A doctor has aired shock claims alleging baby Beau Bradshaw had rib fractures that suggested he may have been physically abused weeks before his tragic death.

Shock claims alleging baby Beau Bradshaw may have been abused weeks before his tragic death have been aired as his accused murderer was committed to the supreme court.

Paediatric staff specialist Dr Michalis Yiallourides told Mackay Magistrates Court there was evidence to suggest the six-month-old had suffered right rib fractures up to seven to 14 days before he was rushed to hospital on June 2, 2020.

Six-month-old Beau Frank Bradshaw died in June 2020. His father Ayden Bradshaw is charged with his murder.

Dr Yiallourides told a murder committal hearing for Ayden Jedd Bradshaw the most well documented research into rib fractures for this age group involved “a carer holding the child by the chest and using compression when they shake a baby”.

“Which to me suggested that there’s been previous and potential occurrences where this baby may have been shaken,” Dr Yiallourides said.

Mr Bradshaw is charged with causing grievous bodily harm and murdering his baby son between June 1 and 5 at East Mackay.

The court heard baby Beau had a number of injuries when he was rushed to Mackay Base Hospital on June 2 including a traumatic brain bleed, bleeding around the eyes, bruising to his abdomen and bruising and a perforation to his bowel.

He died at Townsville Hospital on June 4.

Doctors have said the injuries to Beau suggest a high force impact trauma to the baby boy.

“All those findings collectively are suggestive of a trauma and most likely to be that of a high force impact to the abdomen which can lead to perforation of the small bowel at the time of impact,” Dr Yiallourides said.

Macrossan and Amiet solicitor Steven Hayles, for Mr Bradshaw, questioned Dr Yiallourides on whether the fact that the operating surgeon saw necrotic bowel edges within the perforation pointed to the perforation occurring 12 to 24 hours before Beau’s diagnosis in the emergency department.

Dr Yiallourides said that was beyond his level of expertise but said a perforation would have caused Beau to immediately deteriorate without medical intervention and there was evidence to suggest he had been well and playing at the beach the morning of June 2.

“Makes me confident to say that the perforation occurred after the baby was put to bed,” he said.

Ayden Bradshaw is charged with murdering his six-month-old son Beau. He was in Mackay courthouse for the committal hearing for the case. Photo: Tara Miko

“What I cannot tell you is whether the perforation was due to a blunt trauma that happened at the time the baby was put to bed or if there was an evolving inflammation which eventually led to the perforation at that particular time.”

Dr Yiallourides said the “most likely explanation for that collective number of injuries to have happened is through physical abuse”.

Under questioning by Mr Hayles, Dr Yiallourides agreed it was possible Beau could have suffered an abdominal injury a few days before June 2 and on more than one occasion.

The court heard Kyle Clements, then partner of Beau’s grandmother Joeleen Pershouse, told police Mr Bradshaw learned during a meeting with Townsville Hospital doctors that Beau’s injuries were consistent with being shaken.

She told police Mr Bradshaw “lost it” on hearing the word “shaken”.

Mr Hayles asked Mr Clements to explain what he meant, to which he said, “sobbing, crying in shock”.

Beau Bradshaw was found unresponsive at an East Mackay home on Tuesday June 2, 2020.

The court heard Mr Clements said he had a conversation with Mr Bradshaw at the hospital where he said “I feel like having a beer” and Mr Bradshaw allegedly said, “This is a wake up call for me, I’m never drinking again”.

The court heard this information was not in Mr Clements’s first statement to police, but added to his second.

Mr Hayles asked if when the pair spoke his client had made some admissions to “having shook” Beau.

“That’s correct yes,” Mr Clements said.

“And you agree that when he said those things to you he didn’t give an indication about the degree of force that he used to shake the child?” Mr Hayes asked.

“He was unsure of the degree of force, he wasn’t certain as to how hard he shook (him),” Mr Clements said.

Mr Hayes asked if his client had said he shook Beau “because he found the deceased child was not responsive”. “Yes,” Mr Clements said.

“And do agree that you didn’t immediately tell the police about what Ayden told you because at that time you thought what he told you was a reasonable response for someone responding to an unresponsive child?” Mr Hayles asked.

“At that time Ayden had said to me that he himself would take himself to the police station and give that statement,” Mr Clements said.

Statements for 121 witnesses were tendered as part of the case file that was committed to Mackay Supreme Court for a date to be set.