Little boy’s blood found on his teddy bear, mother’s murder trial hears

Blood from a three-year-old whose mother is charged with murdering him was found on his teddy bear and in different rooms in the family home, a jury has been told.

Christina Robinson, 30, denies causing a fatal injury to her son Dwelaniyah by violently shaking him at her house in Bracken Court, Ushaw Moor, Durham, in November 2022.

She is accused of deliberately scalding him, causing excruciatingly painful burns to his legs and buttocks and of using a bamboo cane to hit him in the weeks before his death.

The married defendant, who is originally from Tamworth, Staffordshire, denies murder and a child cruelty charge.

Newcastle Crown Court has heard she claims she was allowed to chastise the little boy according to the teachings of the Bible.

Richard Wright KC, closing the prosecution case, read out a series of agreed facts which included that forensic scientists detected blood stains on Dwelaniyah’s teddy bear.

Blood stains were also found on a door frame from the kitchen to the hall, on a rug in the lounge, on the stairs which were consistent with him bleeding from his burns, on a panel in the bathroom and on the carpet in front of his cot.

Mr Wright said it was agreed that “the totality of the blood of Dwelaniyah” distributed around the home was greater than might be expected from relatively minor injuries.

His blood and skin were also found on a bamboo cane recovered from the house.

Mr Wright also said it was agreed that Robinson had no previous convictions, cautions or police reprimands.

The jury has been told Robinson was having an affair with a man she met on a dating site and had got pregnant using a separate sperm donor.

Her husband was away working for the RAF at the time of their son’s death, the court has heard.

Mr Justice Garnham indicated to the jury that the defence was due to give evidence on Tuesday and after he sums up the case later this week, they were likely to start their deliberations on Monday.