Murder trial told baby hurt by 'violent shaking'

A doctor has told a jury she believes injuries inflicted upon a five-week-old baby who was allegedly murdered by her father were caused by "violent shaking".

Thomas Holford, 24, is accused of murdering Everleigh Stroud, who was rushed to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital in Margate, Kent, on 21 April 2021.

Everleigh was having seizures, had a bleed on the brain and a number of other injuries. She died in hospital, aged 14 months, on 27 May the following year, Canterbury Crown Court was told.

Holford, of Ramsgate, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November last year but denies murder and causing actual bodily harm.

On Thursday, a statement from the consultant paediatrician who was on duty when Everleigh was admitted to the QEQM hospital was read to the jury.

Dr Bushra Malik said she was called to the A&E resuscitation department where "several members of staff were around the bed of a baby girl brought in by ambulance".

She was told it was a suspected Non-Accidental Injury (NAI) because of bruising on her face and the seizures she was having.

Before giving Everleigh a CT scan due to signs of a bleed on her brain, Dr Malik went to talk to the baby's mother to ask about the baby's history.

"I can recall that Casey Stroud appeared more interested in her phone than she did Everleigh," Dr Malik said in her statement.

The scan showed a "massive" bleed on the baby's brain, the court heard.

"In my professional opinion, due to the age and multiple bruising… the injuries to Everleigh were caused non-accidentally," Dr Malik added.

Everleigh was transferred to Kings College Hospital in London by air ambulance later that day.

As well as brain injuries, she had injuries to her eyes "consistent with an acceleration/deceleration type injury", the court heard.

Everleigh was transferred to a high-dependency unit and it was initially thought should would survive, despite the brain injury.

After being transferred back to the hospital in Margate for ongoing care, she survived for more than a year before her condition deteriorated.

On 27 May 2022, while at Evelina Children's Hospital in London, the decision was made to withdraw her life support.

The jury also heard a statement from Dr Sreena Das, a general paediatrician at Kings College Hospital.

She said the fractures to Everleigh's legs and ribs, damage to her eyes and multiple external bruising were typical "when a child is violently held and shaken".

She said: "In my opinion the only explanation for the combination of head injuries and different fractures is non-accidental, in particular, violent shaking."

The jury was shown footage of the moment Holford was arrested on suspicion of child neglect and GBH on 21 May 2021.

During the footage, it was explained to Holford that police had received an update from the hospital that the bruising on Everleigh's face appeared to have been "done by a person".

The arresting officer, PC Lianne Groves, told Holford: "Obviously the only person that was in there with her..."

She was interrupted by Holford, who pointed at himself and said: "Was me".

The trial continues.

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