Trial of Cavan childminder to continue in evidence

The trial of a Cavan childminder, accused of causing serious harm to a 10-month-old baby in her care, will continue today (Tuesday).
Sandra Higgins (37) of The Beeches, Drumgola Wood, Cavan, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to a baby girl at the accused's home on March 28, 2012.
The trial opened at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday of last week.
In his opening address, prosecution counsel Kerida Naidoo SC said the jury would hear how the baby girl was admitted to Cavan Gen-eral Hospital having seizures and looking “pale and floppy” at 5pm on March 28, 2012.
The court heard that she was transferred to Temple Street Chil-dren's Hospital in Dublin two days later, where she continued having seizures.
Mr Naidoo said there would be evidence that the baby's injuries in-cluded bruising and swelling on her head and face, bleeding on her brain and detached retinas on both her eyes.
He said it is the State's case that these injuries caused a substantial risk of death or impairment to one or more of the baby's bodily func-tions and that these were inflicted by Ms Higgins.
Counsel told the jury it would hear from multiple doctors who treat-ed the baby as well as an expert in non-accidental injuries to chil-dren.
He said the jury would hear that the accused denied any wrongdo-ing when interviewed by gardaí. He added that nobody saw Ms Hig-gins inflict any injuries or shaking but that the prosecution's case centres on background evidence, including who was caring for the baby at the time.
Mr Naidoo told the jury that it would hear that the accused, a mar-ried mother-of-two, began working as child-minder for the baby's parents full time while they worked in November 2011.
On the second day of the trial, a medical expert told the judge and jury that, in his view, there was “solid evidence” the child had been abused.
Consultant paediatrician, Dr Christopher Hobbs, read from hospital reports detailing the baby's injuries. These included brain haemor-rhages, facial bruising, detached retinas and rib fractures.
Dr Hobbs, a UK expert in physical signs of child abuse, told the jury that a radiologist's report showed rib fractures on both of the baby's sides and that these injuries were at least seven to 10 days old.
He said looking at the pattern of bruising and the rib fractures, there was “solid evidence” that the infant had been abused. He said the “triad” of brain injuries, that is bleeding on the brain, retinal haem-orrhage and brain dysfunction, pointed to non-accidental trauma.
Dr Hobbs told Mr Naidoo that he agreed with other doctors that the baby had suffered a “serious, life-threatening, non-accidental injury”.

 

Old fractures
He accepted when Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, defending, put it to him that a radiologist said the rib fractures were at least two or three weeks old, but stated he couldn't put an age on the bruises.
Dr Hobbs explained there was no way to date bruises but accepted that the “fingertip” bruises on the baby's back appeared yellow.
He agreed he was aware the baby's parents indicated that she had fallen and banged her head on at least one occasion while in their care.
Dr Hobbs agreed the baby had been seen by her GP three times since the previous Christmas and that Ms Higgins had asked the parents if the doctor had done a full bodily examination on the child.
 
He accepted that nobody reported a concern before March 28 but added that this was “very common” in cases of child abuse. He agreed when Mr Ó Lideadha put it to him that Ms Higgins' diary en-tries of the baby vomiting on dates prior to her being hospitalised did not paint a picture of a perfectly well child.
The doctor added that though the infant may not have been “100 percent” and had an ear infection on the morning, she was not seri-ously ill or taking fits at that stage.
“As far as I know she took feeds and then had a catastrophic collapse and that resulted in injury, and the only reason for that is trauma,” said Mr Hobbs.
Earlier, reading from medical records furnished to him, Mr Hobbs said the baby's mother told doctors that Ms Higgins informed her the child had fallen and vomited in early March 2012, while in her care.
He said the mother told doctors she had noticed a large bruise under the little girl's left eye on that occasion. The mother added that she noticed more bruises on the baby on subsequent dates and that she began seeking alternative childminding.
Dr Hobbs said, from the notes, the baby's mother stated that Ms Higgins had given explanations for the bruises, including the child falling over and bumping her head on toys.
On Thursday and Friday of last week, the trial continued in legal argument in the absence of the jury.
The jury of five women and seven men is expected back in court today with the trial expected to take three weeks in total.