Isabelle Welsh died from massive head injury after alleged abuse
A mother and her boyfriend are standing trial at Teesside Crown Court, accused of murdering two-year-old Isabelle Welsh, who died with 21 broken bones and signs of sexual assault. The toddler collapsed at her home in Hartington Close, Thornaby, Teesside, on September 13, and died in hospital the following day.
Alexandra Walker, 25, and Harrison Simpson, 22, deny murder, allowing the death of a child, sexual assault, and child cruelty. The prosecution alleges that Isabelle was subjected to a sustained campaign of violence.
Prosecution details injuries and failure to seek help
Richard Wright KC, prosecuting, told the jury that paramedics found Isabelle at the foot of the stairs without a pulse. She was covered in bruises, particularly to her head, neck, abdomen, back, and private parts, and her nappy contained blood. A post-mortem examination revealed fractures to 21 bones and bruising consistent with forceful gripping.
Mr Wright said: 'For weeks this child had been violently assaulted and her death, by that terrible head injury, was simply the end point in that campaign of violence to which she had been subjected.' He added that Isabelle had been violently shaken, her spine over-extended, and her head hit against a hard surface.
Mother delayed seeking medical help
The court heard that 11 days before her death, Walker took Isabelle to a GP and hospital with a fractured leg, but despite concerns from medics, the child was discharged back into her mother's care. Walker waited two weeks before reporting the fracture. In the week before her death, no medical assistance was sought for Isabelle, despite her being gravely ill.
On the day she died, after Isabelle's heart had stopped, Walker only called an ambulance when her stepfather instructed her to do so. Mr Wright argued this was not due to panic but an act of self-preservation: 'They knew the questions that would come and had no convincing answer for them.'
Relationship and CCTV evidence
The couple began their relationship last summer, and Simpson became a regular visitor, spending significant time with Isabelle. Their relationship was described as 'unhealthy' with alcohol and drug use. CCTV from two cameras installed at Walker's home captured activity, and messages showed Walker describing herself as Isabelle's primary carer while studying forensics.
The trial continues.
