A mother and her boyfriend are standing trial at Teesside Crown Court, accused of murdering and sexually assaulting a two-year-old girl who had suffered 21 broken bones in the weeks before her death. Isabelle Welsh collapsed at her home in Hartington Close, Thornaby, Teesside, after sustaining a massive head injury and could not be saved, the jury heard.
Defendants Deny Charges
Alexandra Walker, 25, and Harrison Simpson, 22, deny charges of murder, allowing the death of a child, sexual assault, and child cruelty. The pair became a couple in the summer before Isabelle's death, and Simpson became a frequent visitor to Walker's home, spending a lot of time with the toddler, the jury was told.
Fatal Collapse and Emergency Call
On September 13, Walker made a 999 call reporting that her daughter had collapsed. Paramedics found Isabelle at the bottom of the stairs, pulseless and critically ill. Prosecutor Richard Wright KC said the child was covered in bruises, particularly on her head, neck, abdomen, back, and private parts. Her nappy contained blood, and she had vomit on her face. She was rushed to the hospital but died in the early hours of September 14 despite doctors' efforts.
Prosecution's Case: Violent Shaking and Head Impact
The prosecution stated that Isabelle had been violently shaken, her spine over-extended, and her head struck against a hard surface such as a wall or floor. 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."
Awareness of Abuse
The prosecution argued that both Walker and Simpson had "ample opportunity" to harm the toddler. In the small, two-bedroom house, "each must have been aware of the abuse," Mr. Wright said. Eleven days before her death, Walker brought Isabelle to the GP and hospital after discovering a fractured leg. Despite some medics' concerns, the child was discharged back into her mother's care. The prosecution said this leg fracture was "no more of an accident than the fatal head injury."
Post-Mortem Findings
A post-mortem examination revealed fractures to 21 bones, and Isabelle was "covered in bruising the result of forceful gripping," Mr. Wright said. Walker, by her own account, had waited two weeks before reporting the fractured leg. Mr. Wright added: "When Isabelle was gravely unwell in the week before she died no medical assistance was sought, and even on the day she died, after her heart had stopped and she appeared to all intents and purposes to be dead, Alexandra Walker only called an ambulance when her stepfather told her to, long after she must have known her daughter was critically ill."
Motives and Evidence
The prosecution suggested that the failure to seek help was an act of self-preservation. "They knew the questions that would come and had no convincing answer for them," Mr. Wright said. He described the couple's relationship as "unhealthy," with alcohol and drugs playing a part, leading to deteriorating care for Isabelle before escalating to regular violence. Unusually, CCTV footage from two cameras fitted at Walker's residence was captured. An early text from Walker to Simpson showed her claiming she was the main carer for her daughter and completing her final year studying forensics. The trial continues.
