Two-year-old boy allegedly killed by his mother had horrific injuries, court told
A two-year-old boy allegedly horrifically murdered by his mother in southwest Sydney died of injuries akin to someone falling from a building or being in a high-speed car crash, a court has heard.
A two-year-old boy allegedly horrifically murdered by his mother in southwest Sydney died of injuries akin to someone falling from a building or being involved in a high-speed car crash, a court has heard.
But the boy’s six-year-old brother told investigators that he witnessed his mum hit the boy with a belt, sandal and open hand “about a thousand times” on the day he died, tendered police facts allege.
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The 26-year-old mum, who cannot be named for legal reasons, unsuccessfully tried to apply for bail at Parramatta Local Court yesterday after being charged the day before with her own child’s murder.
Her arrest followed a special strike force investigation launched after the boy was taken unconscious on August 3 to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead where he later died.
The court heard an autopsy found the child had “catastrophic internal injuries and bleeding” that included a severely lacerated liver, bruising on his lung, diaphragm, bowel, gall bladder and heart. He also had tearing on one heart ventricle and his oesophagus.
The boy also had three-week-old fractures to his skull, left shoulder and right leg, the autopsy found.
A doctor described these internal injuries as ones “seen on a person who had fallen from a building” or who had “been involved in a high-speed motor vehicle collision,” the court heard.
The court heard that the day the boy was taken to hospital an older brother saw his mother hitting the two-year-old “numerous times because she was trying to make him walk but he was too afraid to”.
The sibling said his brother was “crying sick and coughing” after the mum allegedly hit him with an open hand, belt and sandal.
The child told police that when his brother didn’t want to get up and walk his mother dragged him by the hand.
Later when they were on a stairwell the boy kept trying to stand. He fell down the last flight of stairs.
The mum was clearly “angry” with the two-year-old, his brother told police.
The court also heard that when another unnamed witness asked the mother about “what really happened” she allegedly told them: “No one is going to know the truth. I’m in God’s hands now.”
It is understood the parents told police the boy had fallen down a staircase.
The boy had previously been in the care of Family and Community Services.
Magistrate Peter Feather said the police case was circumstantial one and there was a “reasonable prosecution case”.
He noted there would be lengthy delays before he refuse the woman’s bail application.
Her lawyer Jehane Ghabrial had proposed a list of stringent bail conditions for her client which included house arrest.
The boy’s 34-year-old father also had a separate appearance at court after being charged with concealing a serious indictable offence.
He did not apply for bail.
Both cases will return to court in March.
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