A little girl was murdered by her mother just hours after being born behind a tree, a court has heard.
His body was found by a gardener in a park in Aldershot, Hampshire several days later on May 19, 2017, prosecutors have told jurors.
The baby is believed to have lived less than six hours and suffered injuries, including multiple skull fractures.
Babita Rai, 24, of Reeves Road in Aldershot, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court after denying the murder and infanticide.
Her defense team raised issues with poor memory or that her mind may have been “messed up” at the time of the birth.
Opening the case, prosecutor Adam Feest QC told jurors that Rai gave birth to the baby between May 15 and May 16.
He told the court: “Very soon after birth, the baby suffered from multiple skull fractures associated with internal bleeding and swelling of the brain.
“These injuries were the result of multiple blunt impacts and / or a significant or sustained crush injury.”
The prosecutor said the injuries were “deliberately inflicted” and could not have been caused accidentally during labor or by the baby falling to the floor.
After the body was found, the police attempted to locate the mother and spoke to Rai.
Mr Feest said: “She was arrested and questioned on bail by the police and in a series of interviews she replied ‘no comment’, which she is entitled to do, at all. questions asked about the birth and death of her child.
“The Crown says Babita Rai is responsible for the murder of her child.”
The court heard that it was “not clear” whether she was alone or “acting in concert” with another person at the time.
Speaking to the jury, Rai’s attorney, Michael Turner QC, outlined some of the issues the defense intends to raise.
“Are you sure the wounds were inflicted on purpose?” He said.
He suggested that injuries may have been sustained during the birth and also raised concerns about the lack of …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-05-05 12:56:00
