Mother accused of cruelty against her own baby 'not normal', court hears

Elizabeth Wilkins apparently said she could watch medical staff drill into her child's bone marrow because she watches Holby City

Elizabeth Wilkins, 23, denies the allegations (SWNS)

A mother who is accused of cruelty against her baby son apparently showed “no emotion” while her child was fighting for his life, a court has been told.

Elizabeth Wilkins, 23, and Erick Vanselow, 30, are on trial after their son suffered critical injuries in an incident at home.

Hospital staff found the boy had suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and broken ribs.

He spent several months in hospital and, now just over two-years-old, may have developmental problems, the court was told.

As the boy battled for his life one nurse said Ms Wilkins was “not normal.”

She said the boy’s mother told her that she could watch as medical staff drilled into the bone of the boy – because she was used to watching Holby City.

A senior doctor also told the court she was concerned about the delay in taking the three-month-old to a GP more than ten hours after he suffered serious head injury.

Plymouth Crown Court heard how Mr Vanselow told a consultant paediatrician he had accidentally dropped the infant on to a plastic kitchen counter early that morning.

Mr Vanselow allegedly called a GP just after 2pm on the same day to say he was worried about meningitis – but did not immediately mention the accident.

But the Crown Prosecution Service, opening the case, said neither the head injuries, nor the rib fractures could have been caused accidentally.

Jo Martin, QC, said the child was assaulted by either his mother, father or both parents on several occasions two years ago at the former couple’s home in Plymouth, Devon.

Mr Vanselow was then studying for a Masters degree in international relations at the University of Plymouth while Ms Wilkins was also about to start the final year of a law degree at the university.

They have both been named after a judge lifted a court order.

The court has heard the boy was taken to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, 17 days before his admission, with bloodshot eyes.

An expert has already told the court those injuries were mostly likely caused by the chest being crushed.

Sister Sophie Brock, nurse in charge of the section of the A&E department which admitted the boy, said Ms Wilkins was “very calm” when the ambulance arrived at about 4.30pm.

She added that staff struggled to find a vein to insert an intravenous drip into the child and so had to drill into the bone marrow. Ms Brock described the procedure as “distressing to watch.”

She added that it was not fair for a parent to stay and so Ms Wilkins was asked to step outside.

Ms Brock said: “Her reply was that she watched Holby and 24 Hours in A&E, which was a little bit of a strange thing to say.”

Piers Norsworthy, representing Ms Wilkins, asked the witness: “When you are presented with a very sick baby, one imagines the worst thing you could see is a panicky, distracting mother?”

Ms Brock replied: “It does not help but it is normal and we are able to deal with that.”

The jury has heard conflicting evidence about when Ms Wilkins heard about the incident.

Derriford consultant paediatrician Thynn Aung said she spoke to the parents together to get a history of what had happened that day.

She said there were inconsistencies in Mr Vanselow’s story, including mention of the baby hitting the left side of the head – when his major injuries were on the right side.

She added that she was concerned about what she called the “inappropriate delay” in the parents seeking medical help.

Dr Aung added: “I was concerned about the lack of obvious emotional response by the parents during the interview.”

Mr Vanselow and Ms Wilkins have each denied individual counts of assaulting the baby with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on 22 September, 2016.

They have also pleaded not guilty to alternative counts of assaulting him causing grievous bodily harm without intent. These charges relate to the head injuries.

The parents have also denied causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm to a child between his birth on 2 July and 23 September that year.

Ms Wilkins alone has pleaded not guilty to assaulting the baby causing actual bodily harm between 31 August and 3 September. This charge relates to the bloodshot eyes.

Prosecutors say those injuries could not have been caused by Mr Vanselow because he was out of town at the time.

The trial, due to last at least another two weeks, continues.

Additional reporting by SWNS