**Murder Trial Hears Toddler’s Fatal Brain Injuries Could Be Result of Violent Impact**
The tragic circumstances surrounding the death of two-year-old Ethan Ives-Griffiths were laid bare in court this week, as a medical expert outlined potential causes of the fatal brain injuries suffered by the young child. The Mold Crown Court was told that Ethan’s critical injuries could have resulted from “a fist, a hand or a knee”, raising devastating questions about the events leading to his collapse.
On Saturday 14 August 2021, Ethan was found unresponsive at the home of his grandparents, Michael and Kerry Ives, in Garden City, Flintshire. Despite urgent medical efforts, he could not be revived. His grandparents, who are both standing trial, firmly deny all accusations of murder.
Paediatric neurosurgeon Dr Jayaratnam Jayamohan spoke at length about the injuries Ethan sustained. He explained to the jury that the child suffered fresh bleeding on the brain, in addition to bleeding considered to be several weeks old. According to Dr Jayamohan, the more recent injury could have resulted from an object striking Ethan’s head or from his head forcefully hitting a solid object. He further suggested that the impact could feasibly have come from a fist, hand, knee, or even a household object, as well as being consistent with the child having been shaken.
The expert told the court that, after being subjected to the trauma, Ethan entered a comatose state from which he never regained consciousness. When questioned about the 18-minute delay before an ambulance was called by grandmother Kerry Ives, Dr Jayamohan indicated that this delay “probably” did not alter the outcome, pointing to the immense severity of Ethan’s injuries.
The complexities of the case were further underlined by medical evidence showing strikingly high levels of mercury in Ethan’s body – reportedly ten times the normal level – a finding described to the court as “completely outside survivable”. Dr Jayamohan noted that, despite a hopeful emergency operation to remove pressure from Ethan’s brain at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, the chances of survival were stacked firmly against him from the outset.
The jury also heard about additional signs of possible earlier trauma. Ethan’s body displayed bruising on his left cheek, chin, and spine. Analysis revealed that bleeding on the brain had occurred on at least two separate occasions, with the older injury likely caused more than two weeks prior to his collapse. Dr Jayamohan described the relevant CT scan as “very scary,” providing stark evidence of repeated harm.
Cross-examination raised further questions regarding the circumstances of Ethan’s injuries. David Elias KC, representing Michael Ives, inquired about a potential “re-bleed” following a trampoline incident, footage of which had previously been shown to the jury. While Dr Jayamohan accepted that such an occurrence could boost pressure in the brain and trigger seizures, he also commented that, in Ethan’s case, it would have been “exceptionally surprising” for this alone to lead to such a catastrophic collapse.
Attention then turned to the timeline of Ethan’s final hours. Detective Constable Lee Harshey Jones gave evidence regarding events on the morning of 15 August 2021. Ethan’s mother, Shannon Ives, stated in a police interview that the toddler had fallen the day before but appeared unharmed at the time. She recounted how, while she was upstairs the following morning, she was called down urgently by her parents and discovered Ethan unresponsive on the living room floor.
Text messages sent by Shannon in the aftermath added another layer of complexity and emotion to the proceedings. In messages to relatives following Ethan’s death, she expressed confusion and helplessness, claiming she did not know what had happened, only that Ethan had suffered a head injury whilst she was not present.
Facing the jury are Michael and Kerry Ives, both accused of murder as well as separate charges alongside their daughter, Shannon Ives, of causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child under 16. All three maintain their innocence.
As this harrowing case continues, the court will weigh the deeply distressing expert testimony, as well as the evidence and accounts provided by the family, before reaching its verdict. The trial resumes later this week.