A mother accused of sexually abusing and murdering her two-year-old daughter, Isabelle Welsh, waited approximately an hour to contact emergency services as the child lay dying, Teesside Crown Court has been told. Alexandra Walker, 25, and her boyfriend Harrison Simpson, 22, deny murder, assault by penetration, allowing the death of a child, and child cruelty.
Prosecutors allege that Isabelle suffered 21 broken bones in the weeks leading up to her death on September 13 last year. The court heard that her fatal injury was a massive head injury, consistent with being violently shaken and then struck against a hard surface. The prosecution claims the toddler was subjected to a 'campaign of violence'.
On the day before Isabelle died, Walker and Simpson were reportedly up late at Walker's home in Thornaby, Teesside, consuming alcohol and cannabis. The following morning, while Walker remained in bed, Simpson was reportedly in sole care of the toddler. He put Isabelle to bed around 3 p.m. Shortly after, Walker was observed on CCTV footage smoking a cigarette and using Google to search for 'Why would my toddler be bleeding?'. Within minutes, she was heard saying, "you're scaring me," and conducted further searches, including 'what should I do if my child has blood in his stool?'. The prosecution suggested that by this time, Isabelle was critically ill.
Despite the apparent severity of the child's condition, Walker reportedly made no immediate attempt to seek professional medical help. After Simpson left the property, about an hour passed before Walker contacted her stepfather. He arrived at approximately 4:15 p.m. and immediately advised her to call 999. Paramedics arrived within a minute, and Isabelle was transported to the hospital, where she died in the early hours of the following day.
Prosecutor Richard Wright KC suggested that the delay in calling for help might have been an attempt by Walker to avoid difficult questions she anticipated at the hospital. Jurors previously heard that 11 days before her death, Walker had taken Isabelle to a GP and hospital due to leg pain. The leg was found to be fractured, but Walker attributed the injury to her daughter trapping it in her cot. She was discharged despite some medical staff expressing concerns. She reportedly became argumentative when hospital staff questioned her about the injury.
A post-mortem examination found 97 separate soft tissue injuries on Isabelle's body, consistent with being tightly gripped and shaken. In initial police interviews, Walker stated that Isabelle's death was due to accidental injuries. Later, when presented with post-mortem evidence, she suggested Simpson would be responsible if the injuries were malicious. Simpson reportedly did not answer questions during his police interview.
The trial, expected to last six weeks, continues. The court heard that the abuse was not isolated but formed a pattern occurring over time within the household.