28 WEDNESDAY August 16, 2017 CornwallLive.com CornwallLive.

com WEDNESDAY August 16, 2017 29

‘Never seen injuries

that severe before’
Four-week-old baby The flats in St
Blazey where
Tristan Hicks lived
with his partner

killed by his father

Bryony Johnson
and baby Cooper.
A paediatric consultant Mr Hicks had fallen with
revealed that she had never Cooper in his arms and
seen skull fractures as fallen on top of him.
severe as those that killed Dr Mallam said she
baby Cooper.
Dr Katherine Mallam,
who was on duty at Royal
discussed the importance of
gathering mementos for the
parents after the death of
By Shannon Hards
shannon.hards@cornishguardian.co.uk › Dad took his own life while suspected
Cornwall Hospital when
Cooper was rushed to
hospital, appeared
their child with police
officers and reminded staff
that Mr Hicks and Miss
01872 247420

A coroner has concluded that

of causing four-week-old Cooper’s death
emotional as she gave her Johnson should be treated a four-week-old baby who died
witness statement on the the same as any other after sustaining unsurvivable
second day of the inquest. parents who had lost a brain injures was killed
She confirmed that child. unlawfully by his own father,
“significant force” had Dr Mallam said tests who also took his own life
been applied to baby revealed a massive fracture while under suspicion of his
Cooper’s skull to cause his to Cooper’s skull and inter- murder.
injuries. cranial haemorrhaging. Investigations into the
Dr Mallam said the She added that the injury death of Cooper Eddie
child’s injuries were was caused by blunt Johnson-Hicks were opened
considered “not compatible trauma with significant by senior coroner for Tristan Hicks had a history of mental health problems.
with survival” and that if force. Cornwall Emma Carlyon on
he had survived he would Home Office registered Monday, August 7, and over the night before Cooper had domestic violence.”
have been severely pathologist Dr Amanda the course of three days, been taken to hospital because DS Winsor stated that
disabled. Jeffery said it was difficult heard evidence from more she had been drinking and factors in the case included
She added that she had to differentiate whether the than 20 witnesses. was “too drunk” to return the changing account of Mr
“never seen injuries that
severe before” and “never
seen a skull fracture to that
skull injuries were caused
by “a fall or the head being
struck against a surface or
Providing her verdict on
Wednesday, August 9, Dr
Carlyon said that Cooper
home to look after her
children.
Forensic pathologist, Dr
Hicks, the lack of witnesses
and the historical injuries to
Cooper.
Review following baby Cooper’s death
extent”. blows to the head”. Johnson-Hicks was unlawfully Amanda Jeffery, revealed baby DS Winsor added that on
She also said she had She said the initial killed and that there was a Cooper had 24 rib fractures at investigating Mr Hicks’ phone Cornwall Council has confirmed it is “He tried killing himself with a cable taken place around three years before
never seen a baby with so concealment of the incident breach by Mr Hicks in his the time of his death. “interesting” web searches due to publish a review following the tie around his neck. I had to cut it off. his death “really hard to cope with”.
many rib fractures before. suggests it could have been duty of care and “gross She told the court that were found. death of four-week-old baby Cooper, “My son was sleeping and I was Talking about their relationship,
Dr Mallam also gave non-accidental. negligence”. Cooper had historic head Approaching his and who was on the child protection pregnant with Cooper. He was seconds Miss Johnson added: “It was hard at
evidence about her “I can’t exclude that the She accepted evidence from injuries and rib fractures Cooper’s death he had register. away from being dead. I had to keep first because three months after we got
conversations with Mr head injury was professionals that Cooper’s prior to his death, which researched SIDS (sudden Giving evidence at the inquest, cutting up the cable ties so he couldn’t together I got pregnant.
Hicks, in which he accidental.” death was not accidental. couldn’t be explained by infant death syndrome) and investigating officer DS Gail Winsor use them because he bought a couple “We ended up being homeless. This is
admitted to dropping Ms Jeffery said the type Dr Carlyon said the case either parent. suicide. said there was fault with the agencies packets.” where the arguments started. I was
Cooper. of rib fracture Cooper had was “particularly upsetting Dr Jeffery added that DS Winsor revealed that but also Cooper’s mother, Bryony Miss Johnson said that shortly after hungry. Tristan was hungry.
She said: “Tristan said he sustained was most when the child was only Cooper’s skull fractures were police officers were often Johnson, for not being open about the couple moved into their flat in “You automatically have social
looked pale and cried associated with squeezing weeks old”. more similar to the type of called with reports from Mr Hicks’ mental health. St Blazey, Mr Hicks “drank half a bottle services when you are homeless and
immediately. He said he of the chest. Baby Cooper’s parents injuries sustained in a “high- neighbours of heated Karen Dale, senior manager at the of bleach”. pregnant anyway.”
noticed swelling to Cooper’s She said these injuries Tristan Hicks, 20, and 22-year- speed road traffic accident or arguments between Mr Hicks safeguarding children standards unit, Dr Carlyon said: “Bryony yesterday An NSPCC spokesperson for South
head after the fall. He said were highly suspicious and old Bryony Johnson, were a major fall from a high and Miss Johnson. also spoke and said the team would said she did tell the mental health team West England said: “This was a tragic
one to two hours after the “extremely worrying”. arrested on suspicion of building”. Between November 2013 and have been “unlikely to foresee the that she was taking the cable ties off case in which a newborn baby suffered
fall.” She added that “rough murder shortly after the death DS Gail Winsor, March 2016, police were outcome of this case”. him every other day.” appalling cruelty at the hands of
She said the impression play” would not have of their son. investigating the case, also involved in the relationship NHS Partnership Trust Dr Carlyon said during the inquest someone who should have protected

“
she had of the fall was that caused the injuries. Two days after being revealed that she was “sure” eleven times. representative, Victoria Slaven, that it was important to identify if that him from harm.
released on police bail for the baby Cooper was murdered. Ten of the police revealed at the inquest that only one information had reached the children’s “Cooper has been robbed of the
second time, Mr Hicks was She also said she thought attendances were for instance of Mr Hicks having attempted safeguarding team. chance to live a long and happy life and
Tristan said he found unconscious in his
dad’s garage.
Mr Hicks “would have been
charged with murder” and
arguments between Mr Hicks
and Miss Johnson.
suicide was reported to the mental
health team, despite Miss Johnson
Miss Johnson said: “I asked them to
section him. They should have
our thoughts remain with his family,
who have suffered enormously.

looked pale and He was pronounced dead in

hospital two days later, having
that he shouldn’t have been
living in the family home
One neighbour reported
hearing “constant rows” and
having claimed that she reported
several incidents.
sectioned him and he would have got
the help he needed. Then he would still
“Anyone concerned about a child’s
welfare can call the NSPCC helpline on

cried immediately. He
never regained consciousness. Cooper Eddie Johnson-Hicks suffered ‘unsurvivable’ head injuries. with his partner and two believed to have heard Miss Victoria Slaven added that there was be here today. 0808 800 5000 at any time, free of charge.
Investigations into Miss children. Johnson saying “don’t hit me conflicting evidence within Mr Hicks’ “They chucked a week’s worth of If a child is in immediate danger, please
Johnson were dropped by Baby Cooper was at home Mr Hicks had been probed on the day of Cooper’s death. She added: “He was a young or hurt me”. medical records that suggested he medication at him and said see you call 999.”
said he noticed police due to insufficient
evidence.
with his parents for around
four hours after he was
during interviews about
whether he was “dancing”
Mark Lentern, who lived in
the same building as Mr Hicks
man with a temper. There was
no evidence he had Aspergers.
DS Winsor said: “One day
the baby was believed to be
didn’t have symptoms associated with
ADHD or Aspergers.
later.”
Miss Johnson revealed that Mr Hicks
The Cornwall Council review into
Cooper’s death is due to be published in
swelling to Cooper’s Witnesses heard on Monday
that Mr Hicks said he
dropped and sustained
fractures to his skull before
when he dropped the baby.
The inquest also heard
and Miss Johnson, said he
thought it sounded as if a
He had a tendency to throw
things and a history of
alone in the flat and was
heard crying and screaming.”
Giving evidence, Miss Johnson said: had found a sexual assault that had September.

head after the fall “dropped” the child after

tripping but didn’t tell anyone
because he was “frightened”.
being seen by paramedics.
Police transcripts were read
in court, which revealed that
evidence from a neighbour of
the couple, who said he heard
a “pain-type cry from a baby”
baby was “gasping for air”.
Mr Lentern claimed Miss
Johnson had stayed at his flat

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