'I put my mouth over his. Nothing was happening': Gran tells of fight to save 13-day-old baby Joshua

Sharon Howell had lived with baby Joshua Millinson, her daughter Zoe Howell, and Joshua's father Daniel Sanzone, at their home in Whitburn Close, Pendeford, Wolverhampton, the court heard.

On October 24 last year – the night Joshua went into cardiac arrest – she had been upstairs with her partner, Natalie Shepherd, when Zoe came in holding the 13-day-old baby.

Giving evidence at Birmingham Crown Court, Sharon Howell said: "Zoe came into my room. She said she thought there was something wrong with Joshua and passed him to Natalie.

"Natalie realised something was wrong. Zoe took the baby back and passed him straight to me. That is when I said 'get an ambulance now."

Sharon Howell told the jury Joshua was not breathing and his skin was "pinkish blue."

She added: "I put my mouth over his. Nothing was happening.

"I don't know when I started pressing on his chest. It was while I was still upstairs. I had put Joshua on the bed. I rushed downstairs and put him on the living room floor.

"I stripped him and I tried shocking him back into breathing by putting him against the freezer but it didn't work."

While Sharon Howell tried to save Joshua's life the court heard Miss Shepherd, who also lived at the address, phoned for an ambulance.

Sharon Howell said she continued her efforts to revive Joshua, taking instructions from the 999 call operator, until an ambulance arrived.

Joshua was taken to New Cross Hospital by which time he had a palpable pulse but was still not breathing.

He was later transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital where he spent nearly a month on life support before the High Court ruled his care should be withdrawn.

Following his death Sanzone, aged 23, was charged with his murder.

He is accused by the prosecution of inflicting fatal head injuries on Joshua by shaking him.

Sanzone and Zoe, 19, are further charged with causing or allowing his death and cruelty to a child.

Sharon Howell also told the jury she had confronted Sanzone about his care of Joshua just hours before the baby collapsed.

Asked if there had been 'friction' between herself and Sanzone on October 24, she said: "I had come down to the backroom and Natalie was in and out doing something to eat.

"Something was bugging me. I needed to ask Daniel something.

"I said 'I'm not being funny but when you are on your own with the baby why does he always scream or cry?'

"He put his head to the floor and never answered me."

The trial continues.