The jury in the trial of a couple accused of murdering a two-year-old girl in Ipswich last summer has retired to consider its verdict.
High Court judge, Mr Justice Garnham finished his summing up of the case, which started last month, shortly at 1.35pm today ( Thursday November 21).
Before Ipswich Crown Court are Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell and Scott Jeff, both 24 and of no fixed address, who have denied murdering Isabella Wheildon between June 26 and 30 last year.
In addition to denying murder, Jeff has also denied causing or allowing the death of a child between June 26 and 30 last year and two offences of cruelty to a child.
Gleason-Mitchell has pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of Isabella, who was her daughter, and two offences of cruelty to a child under 16.
During the trial the court has heard that Isabella’s body was found in her pushchair in the shower of temporary housing at East Villa in Sidegate Lane in east Ipswich in June last year.
She had suffered extensive bruising all over her body, fractures to both her wrists and her pelvis caused by possible kicking or stamping in the weeks after Jeff started a relationship with Gleason-Mitchell.
It has been alleged that following Isabella’s death the couple pushed her dead body around in her pushchair with the hood up for several days before leaving her body in the Ipswich housing unit and fleeing to Bury St Edmunds where they were arrested.
Giving evidence during the trial Gleason-Mitchell and Jeff, who isn’t Isabella’s father, both denied being responsible for the injuries that caused her death.
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