Psychologist cross-examined as Daniel John Ridgers awaits his sentence for manslaughter death of 10-month-old Khaylan Shayne Butler

A psychologist has been forced to take the stand to defend a forensic report she wrote about a man who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter death of a 10-month-old baby.

Daniel John Ridgers, 25. Picture: Facebook

A psychologist says elevated stress levels, noise sensitivity, and a tendency to suppress and avoid negative emotions – stemming from ADHD – were factors leading to the actions of a man responsible for the death of a baby.

Daniel John Ridgers pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the death of 10-month-old Khaylan Shayne Butler.

Ridgers had previously been charged with murder, but it was downgraded.

Khaylan was killed after being shaken and dropped in his cot by Ridgers in November 2023.

At the time of his death, Ridgers had been dating Khaylan’s mother, Maddison Butler.

Forensic psychologist Jennifer Wright had provided a report to the Supreme Court about Ridgers mental state.

However, parts of the report were disputed – and as a result Dr Wright was required to take the stand on Thursday.

Baby Khaylan Shayne Butler. Picture: Facebook.

During cross-examination, she said that Ridgers had been diagnosed with ADHD as a child – which resulted in him being unable to process negative emotions, coupled with noise sensitivity.

“In my view, these are the symptoms of ADHD that caused him to be impaired on the night that he shook Khaylan in such a way he couldn’t reason,” Dr Wright said.

“He couldn’t logically think, ‘what do I do in this situation? Are there other options? How do I cope with this?’.”

Dr Wright said she spoke to Ridgers, his mother, and ex-wife for her psychiatric report.

It was also revealed that Ridgers had initially lied to police about Khaylan’s death before changing his story.

“The lying to the police and making up stories to me fit more within a man who’s never been in trouble before with the police, other than traffic fines.

“I don’t think he could acknowledge that to himself, process it, and figure out what to do.

“When I spoke to him, he acknowledged that it was terrible that he lied and lied and lied, and then finally told the truth.”

Daniel John Ridgers, 25. Picture: Facebook

Dr Wright said she could not put weight on which factors played more of a part in the crimes Ridgers committed.

“What I’ve said is there were contributors to it,” she said.

“One of them was the baseline level of stress that he was under. Another contributor was his tendency to suppress and avoid negative emotions.

“His tendency to suppress and avoid negative emotions was part of his ADHD.”

The matter will be back before court on February 7 before Ridgers is sentenced at a later date.

Originally published as Psychologist cross-examined as Daniel John Ridgers awaits his sentence for manslaughter death of 10-month-old Khaylan Shayne Butler