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A 10-week-old baby girl was allegedly murdered by her own parents less than a week after she was discharged into their care despite the concern of hospital staff, a trial has heard.
Lily-Mai Hurrell Saint George died from a fatal head injury allegedly caused by forceful shaking at the hands of Lauren Saint George and Darren Hurrell, both 25.
The infant, who also suffered 18 rib fractures and a leg fracture, had been in her parents’ care for just six days.
She was taken to North Middlesex hospital with her injuries, which were in keeping with suspected physical abuse following a 999 call on 31 January 2018, a jury was told.
But 10-week-old Lily-Mai died two days later after being transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Her parents are on trial at Wood Green Crown Court, where they deny murder, manslaughter, causing or allowing a death and child cruelty.
Prosecutor Sally O’Neill QC told the jury on Tuesday: “It is the Crown’s case that these two defendants, Lily-Mai’s parents, were responsible for her death and that these fatal injuries were caused to Lily-Mai by forceful shaking shortly before that 999 call only six days after she had been discharged into their care.”
The pair had been housed at a flat in Duckett’s Green, north London, while the infant was still being cared for in Barnet Hospital, having been born prematurely at 31 weeks.
Social worker Theresa Ferguson, of Haringey Child and Family Services, was allocated the case after concerns were raised over Saint George and Hurrell’s ability to care for Lily-Mai as parents.
Lauren Saint George denies murdering her baby daughter
But a decision was made to discharge the baby after a meeting Saint George stormed out of due to “anger issues,” said Ms O’Neill.
“Almost all of the professionals at the hospital were opposed to the baby being discharged into the parents’ care at home and had expressed their concern about the parents’ ability to meet the baby’s emotional, developmental, and physical needs on many occasions to the social services,” she said.
“But nonetheless, the decision was made to discharge the baby into the care of her parents and the hospital had to accept that and deal with the situation as best they could.”
The trial, which is due to last up to five weeks, continues.
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