Post mortem – Toddler had internal bleeding, liver damage, broken rib

A battle is brewing between the defence and prosecution in a matter where Georgetown resident, Zanal Iton stands accused of murdering his stepson Jayden back on August 1, 2008 at Villa.{{more}}

The child died as a result of blunt trauma to the abdomen.

The trial, which commenced on Tuesday, June 19, at the High Court, has already heard testimony from the deceased child’s mother, Faynola Commissiong.

During her testimony, Commissiong told the court she was at her home that morning with Iton, her son and her mother, who was asleep in another bedroom of the house.

Commissiong said she got up from her bed and went to the kitchen to make a bottle of tea for Jayden while Iton stayed in bed. She testified that after giving Jayden his tea, Iton told her that he was going to the gas station to purchase petrol for his car.

The woman said she left home to go to the supermarket with Jayden, and on her way, she met Iton.

“After we spoke for a bit, he drove off and I continued walking. A little while after, I continued walking and met him on the bridge without the car…,” she said.

Commissiong said it began raining and she asked Iton to take Jayden home because she didn’t want him to get wet.

“My son was normal at that time. He began crying when I gave him to Zanal. When I got home, I said Jay, mummy is here. I went to put down the bags and I notice that he didn’t come to me. I know normally once I say that, he would run come…,” Commissiong said.

According to the pregnant woman, she headed straight into the bedroom and saw her son lying on the bed with one of his hands close to the edge of the bed.

“He was moaning and groaning. I notice like the black part of his eye was in the corner. I called to Zanal who was in the bathroom and I asked him what happen to Jay and he ask me if Jay normally take in with fits (Epilepsy) or anything and I told him no…”

The woman said she decided to go to hospital with her son and upon reaching the Highway Trading area in Arnos Vale, she felt her son’s hand becoming cold so she told Iton to speed up. On arrival at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, Commmissiong said doctors questioned her about what happened to Jayden and she told them to ask Iton, because he was with him at the time.

She said the nurses at the hospital questioned Iton about what happened to the child, but she did not hear what was said because she was focusing on her son.

Her son was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Commissiong said about two weeks before Jayden died, he had a cut above his head and during the post mortem, it was discovered he had a healing rib.

Defence counsel Ronald Marks, questioned her about her first son’s father, whom he said was convicted of ammunition charges, and whose mother was an alcoholic.

“I am suggesting that you sent your first son to live with a convict and an alcoholic because you wanted freedom,” Marks said.

Commissiong vehemently denied the claim.

Marks further put it to her that Jayden sustained the injuries while in her care and added that she was in the habit of hitting the child in the rib area. In her response, Commissiong said she never beat her child, rather, she would spank him on his hand.

“When you handed over the child to Zanal, he was crying already because at that time, he was already haemorrhaging,” Marks put to her.

Commissiong responded, “I don’t know how that child got that broken rib.”

Marks also suggested that she didn’t made herself available to hear what Iton told the doctor because she already knew what happened. He also suggested that the child wasn’t walking while going to the supermarket and that she was carrying him on her shoulder.

“Your only concern is to protect yourself. She can’t say Zanal ever strike the child…,” Marks said.

Surgical Pathologist, Dr Tracy Bernard said she performed an examination of the child’s body on August 6, 2008. Bernard explained that the internal examination discovered that Jayden had a five centimetre laceration with haemorrhage into the superior aspect of the liver and over lining diaphragm.

According to Bernard, the abdomen was filled with blood and there was a fracture of the left 5th rib in the back, which had an old heal. She noted that the injuries could have been caused by a fist and that the injuries were consistent with someone who might have fallen. The doctor added that if a child sustained that injury he would not likely be able to walk and would experience shortness of breath.

The case continues at the High Court with Crown counsel Colin John leading the case for the crown and Justice Wesley James presiding.(KW)