Rebecca Grocott, 27, and Joshua Collard, 30, both of Staffordshire, have been found guilty of causing the death of their five-month-old daughter, Ava Mae, who tragically passed away in 2020. The verdict came after a five-week trial at Stafford Crown Court, during which the couple faced charges related to their child’s death.
The charges against Grocott and Collard included causing or allowing the death of a child, causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child, and two counts of assault, ill-treatment, neglect, or abandonment of a child, resulting in unnecessary suffering or injury.
Initially, the couple denied all charges during an earlier hearing. The incident came to light on February 27, 2020, when paramedics were called to the family’s home in Stone. The emergency responders discovered the five-month-old baby girl in cardiac arrest and rushed her to the hospital for treatment. However, despite their efforts, Ava Mae tragically passed away on March 1, 2020.
Following the incident, Grocott and Collard could not provide a plausible explanation for what had happened. As a result, they were arrested on March 25, 2020, after initial enquiries.
A subsequent post-mortem examination revealed that the baby girl had sustained multiple fractures to her ribs, collar bone, and femur. Additionally, she had suffered severe trauma to the side of her head, causing injury to her ear.
Detective Constable Emily Hanlon, part of the force’s Child Protection and Exploitation Team, expressed the gravity of the case, referring to it as a truly tragic incident where a young life was lost due to the actions of those who should have protected her. Hanlon thanked all involved parties for securing justice in this heart-wrenching case.
As the trial concluded, Grocott and Collard were remanded into custody. Their sentencing is scheduled for July 27 at Stafford Crown Court, where they will face the consequences of their actions.
