Social services failed to aid baby

Press, 13 November 1981, Page 6

Social services failed to aid baby

NZPA Norwich A baby died after three months of cruelty at the hands of his mother and her lover although he was on the social services register of children at risk, the Norwich Crown Court was told yesterday. Jason Caesar, aged 19 months, was seen more than 20 times in the month lead-, ing up to his death by doctors, social and welfare workers, and even had two spells in hospital. A catalogue of injuries was noted including fractures of both arms, extensive bruising of the head and body, and a burn mark on his groin. Although four case conferences were held, the last only three days before his death, social and welfare workers decided not to take the boy into custody. Mr Anthony Wilcken, for the prosecution, said: “The general feeling at the last case conference was that there was insufficient evidence for moving the child from his home but arrangements had been made to do so if the necesssity arose.”

The boy’s mother, Christina Caesar, divorced, aged 25, and Andrew Clark, her lover, aged 24, of Cambridge, both pleaded not guilty to manslaughter. They also denied wilfully ill treating the child over three months between August and November last year, causing him unnecessary suffering. The court was told that the boy died ’from hypothermia as he lay in his cot in his unheated bedroom on a freezing November night last year. A post-mortem examination showed that in addition to extensive bruising the child suffered internal injuries, including a tear in the stomach which caused bleeding. Mr Wilcken said that the blow needed to produce that injury would cause shock in an infant, which in turn would lead to a loss of body heat. Mr Wilcken added that the couple had given “inconsistent and conflicting explanations as to how the injuries had been caused.” The trial continues.