**Grandparents Convicted of Murdering Two-Year-Old Ethan Ives-Griffiths**
In a harrowing case that has gripped the public, the grandparents of two-year-old Ethan Ives-Griffiths have been convicted of his murder following a lengthy trial at Mold Crown Court. Michael and Kerry Ives, both residing in Garden City, Flintshire, but originally from Wolverhampton, were also found guilty of child cruelty, as was Ethan’s mother, Shannon Ives. The verdicts bring to a close more than five weeks of distressing evidence and testimony.
The young boy tragically died on 16 August 2021, two days after suffering a fatal collapse due to a devastating head injury at his grandparents’ home. Medical staff attending to him found Ethan to be severely underweight and dehydrated, his body marked by some 40 visible injuries. The trial revealed how the little boy had endured sustained misery and neglect in the period leading to his death.
During the proceedings, jurors were shown chilling footage captured by a CCTV camera. The footage depicted Michael Ives carrying Ethan outdoors by the top of his arm. On the day of his collapse, Ethan was said to have been in the care of his grandparents inside the family’s living room, while his mother was upstairs engaged in a phone call. Both grandparents consistently maintained throughout the trial that nothing untoward had occurred prior to Ethan’s collapse.
However, medical professionals called to give evidence presented a different account. Expert witnesses were adamant that Ethan’s fatal head wound could not have been the result of an accident. They described the injury as being caused by the deliberate application of force, with one theory being forceful shaking. The cumulative expert testimony indicated that the injury was inflicted mere minutes before the boy showed signs of collapse.
The prosecution, led by Crown counsel, described the evidence against Michael and Kerry Ives as overwhelming. They told jurors the child had suffered unimaginable distress and pain in the days and weeks preceding his death. Prosecutors argued that the severity of his injuries, coupled with his malnourished state, painted a damning picture of persistent neglect and brutality.
Shannon Ives, Ethan’s mother, was also charged in connection with her son’s death. She had been living with her parents at the time and denied all allegations of causing or allowing Ethan’s death, as well as separate charges of child cruelty. However, on all charges of cruelty, the jury found her guilty.
Throughout the trial, the defendants firmly denied any wrongdoing. Both Michael and Kerry Ives denied the murder charge and the alternative allegation of allowing or causing a child’s death, as well as cruelty to a child under the age of 16. Their defence contended that there was no evidence of violence or mistreatment, insisting that Ethan’s death was a tragic accident.
The case has sparked deep concern across Wales and the United Kingdom about the welfare of vulnerable children and the oversight of those charged with their care. Questions have also been raised about whether opportunities to protect Ethan were missed in the lead-up to his death.
Sentencing for Michael and Kerry Ives, as well as Shannon Ives, is expected to take place at a later date. Meanwhile, the memory of Ethan Ives-Griffiths serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the responsibilities held by families and communities to shield their youngest members from harm.
As this case concludes in the courts, it is likely to fuel debate around safeguarding measures, multi-agency cooperation, and the resourcing of child protection services in Wales and beyond.