Adelaide parents Michael Fidge and Samantha Bennett caused horrific injuries to four-month-old son, court told

A four-month-old baby suffered 16 injuries – including leg fractures and broken ribs – and the parents’ explanation cannot be believed, a court has heard.

• Parents accused of ‘nonsense’ story on baby’s injuries

A baby boy sustained a total of 16 injuries – including eight leg fractures and three broken ribs – on “at least three occasions or more”, allegedly at the hands of his parents, a court has heard.

Samantha Claire Bennett, 37, of Flagstaff Hill, and Michael Steven Fidge, 27, of Thompson Beach, are standing trial in the District Court this week in front of Judge Emily Telfer and a 12-person jury after pleading not guilty to criminal neglect.

On Thursday, during his closing address, prosecutor Jim Pearce KC told the jury there was “no mystery” the injuries had been inflicted by someone – while bruises in protected areas and bleeding behind the eyes was a “clear pointer to this child being abused”.
“We know (the victim) had many fractures,” Mr Pearce said. “It’s the prosecution case they were inflicted injuries — they were not sustained accidentally. Someone did that – there’s no conceivable mechanism available on the evidence that allows for any other rational conclusion.

“A four-month-old is not like some crazed toddler getting around the house on a turbocharged scooter – banging into things, falling over, breaking his leg, kicking the footy in the backyard. We don’t have that here.

Michael Fidge and Samantha Bennett are standing trial for criminal neglect. Photo: Facebook

“There were a lot of crocodile tears – I suggest – during those recorded interviews with police … Protestations about ‘I love my children, they’re not well’ etc. Well, how do you not see the bruises then? How could you not see them? And if you love your kids, and you’re mum of the year or dad of the year, how do you not know that over that period of weeks your little boy is suffering from a fractured leg and a fractured arm?”.

On Thursday, Noah Redmond, for Ms Bennett, told the jury his client took her baby to the hospital “when it became apparent that it was something more serious”.

“The story essentially is (the baby) was a bit off – she thought it related to an ulcer, or a sore throat, or possibly an earache – so she sought medical treatment,” they said. “First through the locum, then through the GP.

“If you find that these injuries were inflicted, I’d submit that there’s not sufficient evidence to find that Ms Bennett inflicted them herself, or was aware they’d been inflicted, or ought to have been aware that they were inflicted.”

Kathryn Waite, for Mr Fidge, submitted to the court her client was “at a loss” to explain how the injuries came about.

“(The baby) was Mr Fidge’s son and he has consistently said that he didn’t know what happened,” Ms Waite said. “He hasn’t seen anything, there’s been no incident to account for the injuries.”

Last week, Dr Patrina Lee – who conducted observations and a medical exam on the baby following his admission to the Lyell McEwin Hospital – gave evidence to the court the child was initially seen to be visibly “distressed”.

His left leg, she said, was observed to be “significantly swollen” with “significant bruising”.

The bruising, as per her evidence, was “very concerning” – because babies don’t have the “developmental capacity” to generate enough force to bruise themselves.

“His left leg was observed to be significantly swollen, and when we took down the bandages … we noticed significant bruising,” Dr Lee said.

“There was a large bruise over the front of the jaw – that bruise size was around 2cm x 1cm in size.

“The location of the bruises is very concerning because young babies, who are not mobile, do not bruise. They do not have the developmental capacity – particularly in this age group of four-to-five months – to generate sufficient forces to bruise themselves.

“We know from recent studies that have been done that there are certain locations – certain sites – on the body where bruising is seen which would make one more suspicious that an injury has been inflicted. That includes bruising over the torso, around the ears or around the neck – particularly in infants.”

The court previously heard the couple’s son was presented to hospital on April 13, 2021, – and was examined by doctors, who found he had a number of injuries, including multiple bruises all over his body.

The boy was sent for X-rays and CTs, revealing a total of 16 injuries – including eight fractures to his legs, three rib fractures, as well as fractures to the humerus and cartilage where the rib attaches to the sternum.

The couple have each pleaded not guilty. Photo: Facebook

The court heard the couple both claimed to have no knowledge of what caused the injuries, with Ms Bennett alleging their son’s two-year-old brother may have “fell on them”.

Last week, prosecutor Mr Pearce told the jury the couple put forward a “nonsense” story to police.

Dr Lee further told the court she was concerned three bruises across the child’s lower cheek and neck were sustained following a “gripping injury”.

She further submitted that, upon examination of its eyes, the baby was found to have “bilateral sub-conjunctival haemorrhages” – a broken blood vessel in the eye.

Judge Telfer is expected to begin her summing up on Friday.

Originally published as Adelaide parents Michael Fidge and Samantha Bennett caused horrific injuries to four-month-old son, court told