Australia - Michael Smedley, 5 mo, suspicious death, Alice Springs NT, 26 July 2012

Michael Smedley: Inquest into death of bruised, injured baby begins in Alice Springs
By Tom Maddocks and Xavier La Canna
Updated Mon Dec 12 19:55:45 EST 2016
Posted Mon Dec 12 19:09:50 EST 2016

View attachment 106006
Photo: Michael Smedley had 26 bruises on his body when he died, the inquest heard.
Supplied: Facebook

'No-one has ever been charged over the death of a five-month-old boy who had severe bruising and anal injuries after medical experts failed to agree on the cause of death, a court has heard.

A coronial inquest has begun into the death of Michael Smedley in Alice Springs more than four years ago.

Counsel assisting the coroner, Kelvin Currie, said the baby died on July 26, 2012 while in the care of his mother's friends, Tamara Cole and Oliver Deighton.

Mr Deighton was at home on the day Michael died and had left the boy on a change table while he gave some keys to someone who came to the house about 9:40am, the inquest was told.

When he returned to the bathroom he saw the baby had wriggled to the edge of the table and was sliding off headfirst, Mr Currie said.

He said the infant was caught before he hit the ground, but Mr Deighton said Michael began hiccupping and jolting.

Michael dead with bruising, pointers to shaken baby syndrome

The inquest heard Ms Cole returned home about an hour later, at which time Mr Deighton went to get Michael and discovered him limp and not breathing.

Paramedics were called but the child was pronounced dead at 4.05pm.



He said Michael's body had three major pointers to shaken baby syndrome including haemorrhages to both eyes and cerebral swelling.

Michael also had anal injuries, blood in his nappy and it was thought that seven sperm heads were identified from a swab taken, the inquest heard.'

'Expert opinions into death differ

But medical experts consulted by police had different opinions on the cause of death.'

'The inquest continues.'

Michael Smedley: Deighton unaware of how baby was bruised, inquest hears
Tue Dec 13 22:49:01 EST 2016[/I']

'The only person who was looking after a five-month-old baby the day he died in Alice Springs has said he was not aware of how the infant came to be covered in bruises.

On the final day of the coronial inquest into the death of Michael Smedley, Oliver Deighton gave evidence.

Michael's mother Tayla Smedley had entrusted her son in the hands of Tamara Cole, who left the baby on the day that he died with her then boyfriend, Mr Deighton, a disability carer.'

'Deighton 'unaware of how bruises occurred'

Mr Deighton agreed he was the only person looking after Michael the morning he died and that he was alone with him in the hours leading up to the boy becoming unconscious.

But when asked if he knew how the bruises occurred he said: "I'm not aware of how the bruises occurred, they could've taken up to 18 hours to form.

"It could have happened from the night before."

A doctor who gave evidence testified that bruises of the type Michael had would have formed much more quickly, possibly within three minutes.'

'Ms Cole also gave evidence today.'

'Ms Cole said she was running late the day Michael died, and had to leave him in the care of Mr Deighton.'

'Later that morning Ms Cole returned to collect Michael and take him to day care, but when she arrived she said he had been put down in his nursery to sleep, which she said was an unusually early time for his mid-morning nap.

After going to the toilet she said she heard a loud scream from the nursery, and said she knew something was wrong.'

'When she walked into the hall Mr Deighton was holding baby Michael. "He looked like a rag doll, I was frightened," she said.

"I immediately took him and put him on the kitchen bench and started performed CPR then called an ambulance."

Michael was rushed to hospital and it was there that doctors noticed the extensive bruises and abrasions on the five-month-old.'

'Forensic Scientist Denise Grover also gave evidence today and said the anal swab taken from Michael did not have enough material to draw a forensic connection to anyone, but that the slide contained sperm.'

Michael Smedley inquest: NT Coroner refers death of five-month-old to police
RICK HIND
UPDATED TUE JAN 17 16:19:16 EST 2017

'The Northern Territory coroner says offences may have been committed in the 2012 death of a five-month-old baby boy in Alice Springs and he has referred the matter to police.'

'The Northern Territory coroner says offences may have been committed in the 2012 death of a five-month-old baby boy in Alice Springs and he has referred the matter to police.

An autopsy found Michael Smedley had 26 bruises and abrasions on several parts of his body, injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome, and blood on his nappy when he died in Alice Springs Hospital in July 2012.'

Death reported to police, DPP

'On Friday NT coroner Greg Cavanagh handed down his findings into the death of Michael.

"I believe that offences may have been committed in connection with the death of Michael Paul Keith Smedley," Mr Cavanagh said.

He said that he had reported his belief to the NT Police Commissioner and the Director of Public Prosecutions.

'The Northern Territory coroner says offences may have been committed in the 2012 death of a five-month-old baby boy in Alice Springs and he has referred the matter to police.'

'His findings came after the coronial inquest in December last year heard Mr Deighton had changed his original statement to say that half an hour earlier the baby had fallen off a change table, and but he had caught him just before he hit the ground, and that could explain some of the bruising on his body.'

Initial disagreement among experts about cause of death

'Forensic pathologists had found seven semen heads in the boy's anus, but had been unable to collect DNA from the sample.

Initial disagreement among medical experts about her son's cause of death had led his mother to push for a coronial inquest.

At the inquest Dr Terence Donald, a paediatric forensic physician from the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide, changed his previously stated view to conclude that the injuries were traumatic in origin and he described an injury to the baby's foot as "sinister".

He also indicated that the "fall and catch" scenario could not have caused the injuries and if the boy had fallen to the hard floor surface he would not have sustained the injuries that led to his death.

That evidence led the coroner to conclude that previous contradictions in the evidence of medical experts had been overcome and he referred the matter back to police.'

EXTERNAL LINK
Inquest findings into the death of Michael Smedley

I'm having a very hard time coming up with a reason why a five month old baby would have... I really don't want to type the rest of what I'm thinking. Less graphically -- why a five month old would have physical evidence of sexual assault in that part of his body WITHOUT someone having committed an "offense". I understand from the articles that the sample couldn't be used for a DNA match, but wouldn't those facts alone lead to a conclusion that something really & truly f-ed up occurred to this little boy?

I am glad there is an official investigation ongoing. Five months.