Resuscitation attempts could have caused some injuries, trial told
Troy Kevin Taylor murder trial, day three: Some of the 59 injuries noted on 14-month-old Ihaka Paora Braxton Stokes could have been caused by the efforts to resuscitate him, a doctor acknowledged on the third day of the trial of Troy Kevin Taylor who is charged with his murder.
Dr Tony Smith, who is the medical director for St John in New Zealand and a specialist at Auckland City Hospital, gave evidence on the third day of Taylor’s trial before Justice Cameron Mander and a jury in the High Court at Christchurch.
Taylor, 23, denies charges of assaulting the child on July 2, 2015, and murdering him on July 3. The Crown is calling evidence from 36 witnesses during the trial which will take about two weeks. The defence has accused Ihaka’s mother, Mikala Stokes, of causing the fatal injuries.
Dr Smith was asked his opinion on what injuries could have been caused by the attempts by Taylor to revive Ihaka under instructions from a 111 call-taker after the boy was found injured in his cot, and by paramedics who attended the scene at the house in Bryndwr.
Fluid was found around both lungs and it was possible that this could part of resuscitation, but it was unusual, he said.
A pneumothorax – air in the chest cavity causing the lung to not fully inflate – had probably been caused by medics who inserted a needle to try to clear the suspected pneumothorax.
There was bruising on the right side of the upper lip, which had possibly been caused when a plastic tube had been inserted in Ihaka’s mouth and into his windpipe to create an airway to get oxygen into his lungs. It was possible that the lip could be caught against the upper teeth when the tube was placed.
But Crown prosecutor Mark Zarifeh then detailed the other injuries reported: bruising to the face, head, and ears, bruising to the shoulders and upper arms, fractures of the shoulder blades and forearm, compression fractures of the thoracic vertebrae, and head injuries including brain swelling.
Mr Zarifeh asked: “Is there any way in your opinion that any of these injuries could have been caused by CPR?”
Dr Smith replied: “In my opinion it is inconceivable that they could have been caused by CPR or the resuscitation attempts by ambulance personnel.”
Detective Elliot Western gave evidence about speaking to Mikala Stokes about whether she had caused the injuries to Ihaka.
She initially said she did not know, but also referred to the fact that had been known to sleepwalk.
“Really?” the officer replied, and pressed her for a reply to his question.
Miss Stokes told him: “Do I want to say no, because then it makes Troy look very bad?”
He pressed her for an answer about whether she had caused the injuries.
She was crying, and said, “No, I didn’t”, while shaking her head.
An officer had earlier told the trial that Taylor had told him heard a noise from Ihaka’s room during the night and went to check on him because he thought he could have hit his head. He found Ihaka pale and unresponsive in his cot, with blood around his mouth.
The trial is continuing.
Category: News
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