Father could have caused brain injuries to girl in panic after she collapsed, trial told
A man who “panicked” when he picked up his daughter after she collapsed “may have caused” her brain injuries, a trial heard.
Jurors at Birmingham Crown Court were told Philip Peace lifted his five-month-old daughter Summer after her collapse on September 8, 2017.
Mr Michael Turner QC, defending Peace, who denies murder and manslaughter, said it was not done “maliciously” as the prosecution alleged.
More from the trial:
Summer died on September 9 – around 25 hours after she collapsed – after it was agreed her life support would be withdrawn.
The prosecution have claimed the defendant, aged 42, shook his daughter in a “whiplash-style” motion which caused her the fatal brain injuries.
Mr Turner QC told jurors at Birmingham Crown Court it wasn’t part of the defence case that Peace “didn’t have his part to play” in the injuries.
He said Peace, of Himley Road, had “panicked” and had lifted his daughter which may have caused the “whiplash-effect”, a judge heard.
Mr Turner QC added jurors would hear published research that parents do “things they should not do” but their actions were without any malice.
Summer had suffered from pneumonia, which was revealed in a post-mortem and may have been a reason for her collapse, jurors were told.
And she also had Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a condition affecting her connective tissues, which made her “more vulnerable”, a court heard.
The trial continues.
