Babysitter speaks out after baby Ronan’s death in Adelaide

A person of interest in an investigation into the death of a toddler has said that his death was an accident.

A person of interest in an investigation into the death of a toddler has said that his death was an accident. . Picture: Facebook

The man who police consider a person of interest in their investigation into the suspicious death of a baby has broken his silence.

Doctors were unable to save the life of 17-month-old Ronan Davies after he was rushed to Adelaide Women and Children’s Hospital in an unconscious and critical condition at about 6pm on June 7.

The toddler had suffered critical head injuries and “other serious internal injuries”, which were not survivable and led to his death two days later.

Police are investigating how Ronan Davies suffered serious head injuries earlier in June. Picture: Facebook

The man who was babysitting Ottoway toddler Ronan Davies, when the 17-month-old when he sustained critical head injuries, has told 7NEWS Adelaide it was an accident. Picture: 7NEWS

Ronan was in the care of his parent’s friends up until June 7, when he was returned to his father while appearing to be asleep.

Instead, police believe he was unconscious and that he had been allegedly assaulted while being babysat at an address in Glenelg North.

The man who is a friend of the boy’s father has said that he did not deliberately hurt the boy.

“So when I left to take to take him to (my ex-girlfriend’s) place he slipped out of the pram and I picked him up and comforted him,” he told 7NEWS Adelaide.

When a reporter told him that the police didn’t believe his account, he replied “Well, that’s the truth”.

He spoke out on the same day that Ronan’s parents paid a heartbreaking tribute to their little boy.

Glenn Davies and Melanie Nguyen, who police do not consider to be suspects, described Ronan as a “cheeky boy”.

“He was playful, he was happy, he was perfect in every way,” Mr Davies said outside the family’s home at Ottoway.

The man said Ronan slipped out of his pram. Picture: SA Police

Ronan was described as a “cheeky boy” who’s favourite word was “no” by his parents. Picture: Facebook

“I can’t count the amount of times I go looking for him.”

Police have launched a major crime investigation but have not yet laid charges.

Detective Inspector Mark McEachern said that police were given an explanation as to how the baby was injured, but that they “were not satisfied as to the truthfulness of that information”.

“As with any child (death) investigation, they’re very complex, so we’re not eliminating anybody in relation to the investigation, but we are focusing on events at the Glenelg North address on the Wednesday afternoon while he was in the company of the carers,” Inspector McEachern said.

He appealed for anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers as police try to figure out what happened to the “beautiful little boy”.

“We’ll be asking for anyone that may have seen Ronan being pushed around in that pram on Tuesday, June 6 or Wednesday, June 7, this year in and around Ferguson St, Glenelg North,” he said.

“We’re hoping that might remind someone if they have seen anyone pushing Ronan around that afternoon or during those two days.”