AN experienced paramedic has broken down down in court today as he described finding a 'glassy-eyed' baby girl lying dead on a sofa.

The rapid response paramedic – who has been in the job for 30 years – sobbed as he described the look on the youngster's face.

He said it was known in the profession as “a porcelain doll” adding: "It was a glazed look of a child not breathing".

After regaining his composure and apologising, the medic said it was a look he had come to know over the years, describing how he immediately began trying to resuscitate the baby.

The medic was giving evidence at the trial of West Belfast man Christopher O'Neill who is charged with murdering his three-month-old baby daughter Caragh Walsh nearly three years ago.

The 26-year-old denies wrongdoing after the little girl’s death on February 7, 2014 – two days after being rushed to hospital from her home.

Toby Hedworth QC, prosecuting, earlier told Craigavon crown court baby Caragh had been left alone in her father's care on that fateful day.

But within half an hour or so, a distressed-sounding O'Neill rang 999 when his daughter stopped breathing.

The medic later revealed he was just moments away when the call came in.

He said he found a "distressed and agitated" O'Neill outside when he arrived two or three minutes later.

The medic said: "There was a lot of emotion there … a lot of questions came at me."

He said he radioed for assistance after finding the tot unresponsive, and when the ambulance arrived it was decided to immediately rush her to the Royal Children’s Hospital.

On the journey a concerned O'Neill kept asking the ambulance staff questions about his daughter's condition and if she was going to be alright, he told the court.

Later in the hospital he claimed to have overheard O'Neill talking to a female consultant in which "he indicated" he had shaken baby Caragh.

He described hearing the defendant saying he was holding her "at chest height and that he may have given a slight shake, not a rattling or extreme shake".

Related stories

Under cross-examination from defence lawyer Patrick Lyttle QC, the medic accepted it had been “upsetting” and that O'Neill was in an “extremely distressed state” – such as any father worried about an injured child would be.

The medic also accepted that despite working on the infant for some time, he noticed nothing unusual about her appearance – such as her being cut or bruised in any way.

An ambulance man agreed that O'Neill appeared anxious, distressed and concerned about his daughter.

He too said he noticed no markings or visible injuries on the child.

The prosecution claim O'Neill may not have intended to kill his daughter, but rather momentarily lost his temper and shook her, causing her "the sort of injuries that cannot be caused by a baby herself accidentally".

The prosecution barrister said O'Neill repeatedly claimed he had only lifted the 14-week-old baby and shook her in an attempt to revive her.

He said a sleeping Caragh – known by the family to have "sore cry, a painful cry" – had woken with "a jump" and began having breathing problems.

But Hedworth said the condition of the once healthy baby deteriorated despite desperate attempts to save her and she later died.

He also said subsequent post-mortem examinations revealed the infant also had a number of fractured limbs and bruises.

They were not consistent with limited shaking, but were more akin to swinging by the arms and legs and with impacts on the child's head.

Hedworth said evidence – uncovered by the pathologist and four top consultants – would leave the jury in no doubt over "what led to Caragh's death".

"The version of events, as put forward by Mr O'Neill, does not constitute a plausible cause of the injuries which Caragh received," said the lawyer.

Hedworth earlier said the father might have "snapped because she was crying and he could not get her to settle – only he knows that".

The trial is expected to last up to three weeks, continuing tomorrow.

Source: Read Full Article