Herefordshire mum accused of murdering newborn son felt 'scared and alone'
Paris Mayo, who was 15 when she gave birth to her son, denies murdering him
Last updated 12th Jun 2023
A teenage mother accused of murdering her newborn son has denied ever knowing she was pregnant, a court heard.
Paris Mayo is accused of inflicting complex skull fractures on baby Stanley Mayo at her parents' home in Springfield Road, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire on March 23 2019.
He was also found with other injuries, and cotton wool in his mouth and throat, after being put in a bin bag on the front doorstep of the family’s home.
Giving evidence for the first time in her trial, the 19-year-old said she never knew she was pregnant but was scared of the thought.
She said she tried to “brush it out” of her thoughts when it did cross her mind, and it was only when pains got “really bad” – about two hours before the birth – that she accepted she was pregnant.
Worcester Crown Court heard Stanley had been conceived in the summer of 2018 and by the autumn Mayo was suffering from sickness and back and abdominal pain.
Bernard Richmond KC, defending, asked Mayo how she felt when she was in labour.
She said she was panicking and didn’t understand what was happening and there was “a lot going on”.
Admitting her memory was “probably not very precise”, she told the jury she remembered feeling confused, overwhelmed, tired, dizzy, scared and alone after giving birth, as well as not feeling like she could tell anyone about what had happened.
Crying at times while appearing in the witness box, Mayo said hearing evidence from prosecutors had made her “feel really horrible” because she “didn’t want to hurt” baby Stanley.
She said: "I genuinely don't know what happened to him (Stanley)."
Mayo, of Ruardean, Gloucestershire, denies murder and the trial continues.