Medic tells baby neglect trial of dirty blanket and nappy-strewn bedroom

Court: Heard evidence from paramedic who tried to save Anton's life.

A paramedic wept as she told a baby neglect trial that she found the child in squalid conditions on the day he died.

Frances McIntosh arrived at the Kennishead Avenue flat in Glasgow's Thornliebank area in the early hours of February 3, 2011 to find Anton Morrison suffering a cardiac arrest.

She said he had fluid in his mouth and was immediately taken to hospital wrapped in a dirty blanket from his cot.

Ms McIntosh added that the baby's bedroom and hallway outside were littered with more than 20 nappies.

She was giving evidence at the trial of Ashley McDonald, 20, and Marc Morrison, 21, who are accused of wilfully neglecting their son Anton Morrison between his birth on October 24, 2010 and February 3, 2011, the date he died.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard Ms McIntosh and her colleague were at another job in the same block of flats so arrived quickly after receiving an emergency call.

She said Morrison opened the door to the flat and they were shown to a bedroom where Anton was lying. The court was told that a bad smell was noticeable from when the door was opened.

She said: "The baby was lying on his back with his hands above his shoulders, he had fluid in his mouth, he had no signs of life."

She added she drained the fluid from his mouth and carried out CPR after confirming he was suffering from a cardiac arrest.

"When asked if she noticed anything about the baby Ms McIntosh said: "I noticed the baby didn't smell very clean, his fingernails were dirty."

She began to cry and said: "The blanket was dirty, it was grey, it was a white blanket but it was grey."

Nappies

She also described a number of nappies discarded all over the floor in the bedroom and the hallway, saying it was noticeable because it was unusual, although said she could not be sure they were all used.

The trial later heard from Morrison's mother Deborah Clark. She told the court Anton appeared clean the last time she had seen him on January 29.

She added: "He was fine, he was clean, he wasn't dirty or anything."

McDonald's defence counsel Margaret Breslin asked her: "In relation to what you saw, there's nothing that caused you any concern?" She replied: "No."

Ms Breslin asked: "As his grandmother and as nursery nurse yourself, had you noticed your grandson in a dirty condition do you think you would have mentioned it to your son or Ashley?" Ms Clark answered: "Yes."

The advocate showed Ms Clark Anton's blanket and she confirmed it was a cream blanket with a design on it. She was asked if she could smell anything from it and said she could smell a "baby smell".

McDonald and Morrison are accused of neglected their son in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to health by allowing their home at Kennishead Avenue, Thornliebank, to become dirty and covered with soiled nappies and domestic waste.

The pair are charged with failing to observe appropriate hygiene and sterilisation procedures in caring of Anton and causing him to lie and sleep in a dirty and unhygienic bed.

McDonald, of Kennishead Avenue and Morrison of Greenfield Avenue, Sprinboig, deny the charges against them and the trial before Sheriff Stuart Reid continues.

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