A 19-month-old toddler allegedly murdered by her mother was described by a medic to be unconscious and not breathing when she arrived at hospital, a jury has heard.
Dr Knowle Fernando was one of the treating clinicians when little Gracie Crowder was taken to King's Mill Hospital, Sutton-in-Ashfield, on the morning of March 6 this year.
The department had a call from the ambulance crew at 6.36am that they were receiving a 19-month-old female baby in cardiac arrest and the estimated time of arrival was ten minutes.
As an emergency department registrar, Dr Fernando informed the paediatric cardiac arrest team.
In a statement, read out at the trial of Gracie's mother Katie Crowder, who denies her daughter's murder, Dr Fernando said they received the child at 6.45am at the emergency department. She was found to have peeled skin and scalded skin all over the body.
"She was unconscious, not breathing, no central pulse found at that time", his statement described.
Immediately the resuscitation started. But after 25 minutes, there was no sign of life, no central pulse. Gracie was pronounced dead at 7.10am.
The Nottingham Crown Court jury has heard she had deep burns covering 65% of her body area.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as scalds and thermal burns resulting from exposure to hot liquid.
Katie Crowder, 26, of Wharmby Avenue, Mansfield, went to her parent's home with Gracie at around 6.30am that morning. Katie's father had told the jury Gracie was "just like she was asleep" and had "some red marks on her face". He gave Gracie CPR before she went to hospital.
Opening the case against Crowder on Thursday, March 19, prosecutor Sally Howes said: “It is the Crown’s case you can be sure Gracie Crowder was killed by a deliberate and unlawful act by her mother".
"Gracie Crowder’s death was not an instant death, " she added. "Expert opinion is it could have taken her in the region of one hour to die".
She said Gracie was dead by the time Katie Crowder took her to her parent's house.
"Why, ladies and gentleman, the delay in calling for help?" said Ms Howes to the jury.
“It is the Crown’s case that the delay is explained very simply, Katie Crowder covering her tracks because she knew what she had done.
“She was cleaning up, clearing away, she was thinking what she could possibly say by way of explanation".
The trial continues
