Couple guilty of causing the death of baby daughter in Stone
It follows a trial at Stafford Crown Court
Last updated 19th Jul 2023
A mother and father have been found guilty of causing the death of their five-month-old daughter who died in 2020.
After a five-week trial at Stafford Crown Court, Rebecca Grocott, 27, of Stone, and Joshua Collard, 30, of Stafford, were found guilty of causing/allowing the death of a child, physical harm to a child and two counts of assaulting/neglecting/abandoning a child to cause unnecessary suffering/injury.
Grocott and Collard had denied all of the charges at an earlier hearing.
Paramedics were called to the family home in Stone on 27 February 2020. They then called police with reports that a five-month-old baby girl was in cardiac arrest. When officers arrived, paramedics were treating her in an ambulance and she was taken to hospital. Tragically, she died on 1 March 2020.
Grocott and Collard could not explain what had happened and following initial enquiries were arrested on 25 March 2020.
A post mortem found multiple fractures to the baby's ribs, collar bone and femur. She had also suffered severe trauma to the side of her head, causing injury to her ear.
DC Emily Hanlon, of the force’s Child Protection and Exploitation Team, said:
“This was a truly tragic case in which a five-month-old died as a result of the actions of two people who should have protected her.
“I would like to thank all of those involved in securing justice for the child.
“Our thoughts continue to remain with everyone affected by her death.”
Grocott and Collard were remanded into custody and are due to be sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on 27 July.