Medic: Unlikely murder-accused father shook baby in panic
It is unlikely a murder-accused shook his baby in a panic after discovering him collapsed in his baby bouncer, a medic has claimed.
Brain surgeon Peter Richards said he was doubtful Ricky Walker only shook son Kayden after spotting him unresponsive at their Black Country home.
It comes after Walker told police he shook the six-month-old 'in an attempt to rouse him' after prop-feeding him in his bouncer, Birmingham Crown Court heard.
Giving evidence at the trial, Mr Richards said: "If he was panicked and shook Kayden stupidly hard, it might have caused the injuries.
"We doctors like to think we have sent the message out 'never shake your baby in any circumstance'.
"I think it's an unlikely scenario, but I can't exclude it."
Prosecutors allege Walker, 27, deliberately harmed his son Kayden, leaving him with brain, eye and spinal injuries on June 12, 2016.
Co-defendant Laura Davies, 25, was out of the family’s council flat in Moxley’s Walnut Close – on the border of Darlaston and Bilston – when her son collapsed.
Mr Richards claimed it was unusual for babies to collapse 'out of the blue' but said medics had been unable to pinpoint the cause of Kayden's collapse.
It is likely an injury caused the baby to collapse at home, the medic said on Friday.
He added: "Both his mum and dad said he was fed well on the morning of his death. Infants don't feed well if something is wrong with their brain.
"This was not something brewing that killed him."
More from the trial:
Mr Richards went on to say bruising to Kayden's scalp suggested he suffered 'shake-type injuries'.
A 'single, forceful shake' would have been enough to cause harm to the child, he added.
The medic concluded Kayden stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest after he was forcibly shaken.
He added: "This is a case that has all the features of shaken baby syndrome.
"Normal life does not cause these injuries - rolling off a sofa, rolling off a bed, do not cause these injuries.
"It is likely the point of injury was the point of collapse. It is likely that he was shaken forcibly, not beaten up, not abused."
During the trial, prosecutor Mr David Mason QC alleged Davies, of Walnut Close, Moxley, should have been aware there was a risk to Kayden and failed to take reasonable steps to protect him.
Both defendants deny causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child between December 16, 2015, and June 12, 2016.
Walker, of Kendrick Road, Moxley, also denies murder.
The trial continues.
