Court Hears Mum Believed Son Was Sleeping as He Slipped into Fatal Coma
A mother accused of manslaughter told a court she believed her 12-year-old son was simply asleep on the sofa when, in all probability, he was already in a life-threatening coma. The tragic case unfolded at Birmingham Crown Court, where details of Joshua Thomas's final hours were presented to the jury.
Collapse and Untreated Diabetes Led to Fatal Outcome
Joshua Thomas collapsed at his family home on Yarningale Road in Kings Heath on December 9, 2022. He was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital but died in the early hours of the following morning, at 1.38am on December 10. Medical evidence presented in court suggested the boy had "untreated and undiagnosed" type 1 diabetes, which developed into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious and often fatal complication.
Prosecutor Miranda Moore KC told the court that doctors at the hospital concluded Joshua's death was "inevitable" due to severe brain damage sustained from a cardiac arrest. The condition had progressed unchecked, leading to the tragic outcome.
Parents' Actions and Regret Detailed in Court
The boy's mother, 45-year-old Tamara Thomas, was with Joshua when his condition deteriorated at home. His father, Damion Thomas, 48, was out at the time. Both parents are qualified teachers, though neither was in full-time employment during this period. They now face charges of child cruelty and gross negligence manslaughter, which they both deny.
In her police interview, summarized by the prosecutor, Tamara Thomas expressed deep regret. "She expressed regret she didn't take him to the hospital that morning instead of waiting for her husband to get home," Ms Moore stated. Tamara reported that Joshua had been unwell for approximately two weeks prior to the incident.
Key details from the mother's account include:
- Joshua awoke at 4am on December 9 looking unwell and "wasn't himself."
- He appeared to have normal fatigue at 10pm the previous night.
- By the morning, he was weak, had wet himself, and looked "so skinny" when his father changed his clothes.
- The plan was to take him to A&E, but he refused water and seemed to be asleep.
- Tamara claimed Joshua had been lying on the sofa from 9am that morning.
- In the early afternoon, she grew concerned he was not breathing and called her husband.
- She dialled 999 when Joshua's lips "turned white."
"She thought he was asleep. In all probability he was in a coma," the prosecutor told the court, highlighting the tragic misunderstanding.
Father's Response and Family Background
Damion Thomas's conduct during his police interview was described as "obstructive," with him providing "blunt and quite bullish" answers. When questioned if he felt Joshua needed medical assistance at 4am on the day of the collapse, he reportedly replied, "I'm not a doctor."
Damion had been employed at Solihull Academy but was on a pathway to return to work following an absence. On December 9, 2022, he was at a campus in Castle Bromwich for a meeting scheduled for 2pm. He claimed the "first indication" he received to come home was a call informing him that paramedics were already at the scene.
The court heard that Joshua was one of the couple's seven children and was homeschooled. Earlier in 2022, he had joined the Sparkhill Harriers running club. Notably, the prosecutor emphasized that both parents were aware of the symptoms and dangers of diabetes, as it ran in the family and Damion Thomas himself had type 1 diabetes.
The trial continues as the court examines the circumstances surrounding this heartbreaking case of a young life lost to a treatable condition.
