Baby girl died after suffering severe head trauma in care of babysitter who was found not guilty
A 10-month-old baby girl was likely shaken and thrown at a wall or furniture, suffering horrific injuries “normally only seen after a car accident”, an inquest into her 2010 death has heard.
Melbourne baby Chloe Murphy died in hospital after suffering severe brain trauma and injuries to her body after her parents left her in the care of a babysitter.
Initially police said her babysitter Ketapat Jenkins was responsible, but she was later cleared.
The little girl’s parents Anthony and Phurithee Murphy have been searching for answers for the past six years to establish the circumstances surrounding Chloe’s tragic death.
The court heard the baby appeared in good health when her parents dropped her off at Ms Jenkins' home before they went to watch a movie in December 2010.
When they returned to collect her, their daughter was in and out of consciousness and struggling to breathe.
She died three days later at the Royal Children's Hospital.
But Ms Jenkins was found not guilty of child homicide by a Supreme Court jury in 2014 at the end of the five-week trial, with the panel not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt she was responsible.
Yesterday, a coronial inquest heard evidence from nine medical experts who assessed Chloe.
They confirmed the injuries to her head and body were deliberate and that she “would've needed to be struck with force up to 10 times her bodyweight to cause the injury she sustained”.
The doctors told the inquest the infant would have sustained at least three acts of abuse, including twisting of her arm and “rotational force” such as shaking and a head impact.
Medical experts said it would never be known exactly how Chloe died, but the most probable cause was that she was crying and then was grabbed on the arm, shaken and thrown at either a wall or furniture.
Ms Jenkins is expected to tell her version of events to the coronial inquest today. The lead police investigator and doctor who treated the baby girl are also expected to take the stand.
The inquest continues.
News break – March 1
