#1Oct 27th, 2012
Mom defends boyfriend accused of abusing, killing tot
By Chris Doucette, QMI Agency
Keagan Davis was covered in bruises and suffered a litany of untreated broken bones within three months of Michael Monckton moving into the toddler’s home, a jury heard Friday.
Davis, 2, died Jan. 5, 2010, while in the care of Monckton, his mom’s live-in boyfriend, who now stands accused of murder.
But in a day-and-a half on the witness stand, Leigh-Ann Worrall, 26, has yet to even hint she suspected Monckton, 28, was responsible for the injuries her child suffered leading up to his death.
Crown attorney Paul Murray showed the jury and Worrall photos of Keagan before and after Monckton came into his life in the fall of 2009.
He appears to be a normal, happy child in all of the pictures.
But in the images shot around Christmas 2009, after Monckton was laid off and had taken over the childcare duties while Worrall worked, bruises began to show.
In one photo the tot appears to have a broken blood vessel in his eye. His mom testified it was a “spider vein.”
Worrall also explained her son had a string of accidents he had in the weeks before he died, which is what Monckton told Durham Regional Police homicide detectives after his arrest Jan. 7, 2010.
In one incident, two weeks before Christmas, Worrall said Monckton “slipped” with Keagan in his arms and fell down the stairs of their basement apartment in Oshawa.
She said her boyfriend told her about the fall when she got home from work. Keagan was already in bed, so it wasn’t until the next day she saw the bruises on his spine and lower back.
On Jan. 28, Worrall said Keagan had another fall while she was sick in bed.
Her son, who was also ill, was apparently at the table eating when he turned to be sick, “slipped” off his chair and landed “face first” on the floor.
Worrall said she came out and saw Keagan on the floor covered in vomit. His nose was bleeding and he had bitten through his lip.
Monckton was with Keagan and told her what happened.
That incident left Keagan’s cheek and nose badly bruised, which could be seen in photos of Keagan playing video games and eating a gingerbread house with Monckton’s two children and niece — pictures he shot while watching the four kids.
On Jan. 2, 2010, Keagan came home from visiting Monckton’s family with a bruised shoulder, Worrall said. Her boyfriend said his nephew pushed the tot into a wooden highchair.
The forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy has testified Keagan had internal bleeding in his belly as well as broken fingers, ribs, vertebrae and a forearm. Some injuries were allegedly recent and some occurred “weeks to months” earlier.
Monckton has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, assault causing bodily harm and aggravated assault.
Mom defends boyfriend accused of abusing, killing tot - Crime - Canoe.ca
Repeated incidents such as the ones described and she never doubted, never questioned? This woman is complicit in the death of her child because of what she 'chose' not to see.
By Chris Doucette, QMI Agency
Keagan Davis was covered in bruises and suffered a litany of untreated broken bones within three months of Michael Monckton moving into the toddler’s home, a jury heard Friday.
Davis, 2, died Jan. 5, 2010, while in the care of Monckton, his mom’s live-in boyfriend, who now stands accused of murder.
But in a day-and-a half on the witness stand, Leigh-Ann Worrall, 26, has yet to even hint she suspected Monckton, 28, was responsible for the injuries her child suffered leading up to his death.
Crown attorney Paul Murray showed the jury and Worrall photos of Keagan before and after Monckton came into his life in the fall of 2009.
He appears to be a normal, happy child in all of the pictures.
But in the images shot around Christmas 2009, after Monckton was laid off and had taken over the childcare duties while Worrall worked, bruises began to show.
In one photo the tot appears to have a broken blood vessel in his eye. His mom testified it was a “spider vein.”
Worrall also explained her son had a string of accidents he had in the weeks before he died, which is what Monckton told Durham Regional Police homicide detectives after his arrest Jan. 7, 2010.
In one incident, two weeks before Christmas, Worrall said Monckton “slipped” with Keagan in his arms and fell down the stairs of their basement apartment in Oshawa.
She said her boyfriend told her about the fall when she got home from work. Keagan was already in bed, so it wasn’t until the next day she saw the bruises on his spine and lower back.
On Jan. 28, Worrall said Keagan had another fall while she was sick in bed.
Her son, who was also ill, was apparently at the table eating when he turned to be sick, “slipped” off his chair and landed “face first” on the floor.
Worrall said she came out and saw Keagan on the floor covered in vomit. His nose was bleeding and he had bitten through his lip.
Monckton was with Keagan and told her what happened.
That incident left Keagan’s cheek and nose badly bruised, which could be seen in photos of Keagan playing video games and eating a gingerbread house with Monckton’s two children and niece — pictures he shot while watching the four kids.
On Jan. 2, 2010, Keagan came home from visiting Monckton’s family with a bruised shoulder, Worrall said. Her boyfriend said his nephew pushed the tot into a wooden highchair.
The forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy has testified Keagan had internal bleeding in his belly as well as broken fingers, ribs, vertebrae and a forearm. Some injuries were allegedly recent and some occurred “weeks to months” earlier.
Monckton has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, assault causing bodily harm and aggravated assault.
Mom defends boyfriend accused of abusing, killing tot - Crime - Canoe.ca
Repeated incidents such as the ones described and she never doubted, never questioned? This woman is complicit in the death of her child because of what she 'chose' not to see.
Just so the bleeding hearts don't get in a lather, I'm not in favour of spanking all children, just the few who need it for serious infractions. (We've had enough debates on this issue)
)