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Stepfather accused of killing toddler to walk free
By Cloe Read
Prosecutors have dropped their case against a Queensland man accused of killing a toddler after the judge questioned key parts of the evidence on day one of the trial.
Aaron Harley James walked free on Tuesday afternoon after being behind bars for more than two years, charged with the murder of his stepson Jaylen Priest.
Before his death, Jaylen Troy Priest suffered injuries including a skull fracture, brain swelling, fractured ribs and bruises.
Jaylen was 16 months old when he was rushed from his Burpengary home to hospital in a critical condition just days after Christmas in December 2021, before he died in hospital.
The boy had suffered a fractured skull, brain swelling, fractured ribs and bruises. James’ defence submitted Jaylen had slipped and fallen in the home.
James was scheduled to face a 10-day trial on Tuesday in the Supreme Court in Brisbane, and pleaded not guilty when the charge was downgraded to manslaughter.
Jaylen Priest’s mother Savannah-Rose Wilson outside court in Brisbane.Credit: Brisbane Times
Before a jury was brought in, Justice Peter Callaghan raised questions over parts of the prosecution evidence, which included a police interview with a child who was at the home at the time of Jaylen’s death.
But Callaghan dismissed the jury in the afternoon, after the prosecution advised they would drop the case.
When explaining to the jury what had happened, Callaghan said the evidence suggested the case was an “awful tragedy”.
He said there was no suggestion at any time there had been any violence or mistreatment by James towards Jaylen.
“It is at least the case that this tragedy will not now be compounded by the conviction of an innocent man,” he said.
Outside court, Jaylen’s mother, Savannah-Rose Wilson, said she was disappointed in police for proceeding when she and her family had told the truth.
She remembered her son as beautiful, and said she, her family and James’ family had been unable to grieve Jaylen.
“I’m happy to see the truth prevail today, my son can rest finally, and we can now start to grieve properly,” she said.