A Hunter mother accused of failing to get medical attention for her seriously injured 20-month-old daughter for nearly five hours as the toddler's condition deteriorated and she ultimately died said she only thought it necessary to call an ambulance after she found the girl not breathing, a jury has heard.
The mother, who cannot be named because it would identify the young girl, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of manslaughter by criminal negligence and is facing a trial in Newcastle District Court.
The young girl died about 6pm on June 19, 2018, after earlier that day suffering multiple blunt force trauma injuries.
Her injuries included six broken ribs, a punctured lung, bleeding on the brain, facial bruises and lacerations to her liver that led to internal bleeding, among other injuries that Crown prosecutor Jillian Kelton said were likely inflicted by multiple punches or kicks.
The mother gave evidence over two days this week, telling the jury she was not aware of the internal injuries her daughter had suffered and despite the girl appearing "floppy", unresponsive and "lifeless" as she was being carried from a bedroom after a loud thud, the mother did not think it necessary to take her to hospital.
"In my own opinion, I did not feel that she needed help," the mother said. "She was not unconscious, she was breathing, she was alive, and, to my knowledge, she seemed fine."
Under cross-examination from Ms Kelton, the mother was taken through the girl's presentation throughout the afternoon of her death; from the toddler vomiting or coughing up blood, having a "lowered level of consciousness" and undergoing some sort of CPR to having bruises on her body and blood in her mouth.
"How unwell did she have to get before you thought she'd need medical attention?" Ms Kelton asked the mother.
"I called for help as soon as I thought it was needed and that was when I found her unresponsive," the mother replied. "Prior to that she was okay. She had improved and I didn't think it was needed."
The mother denied suggestions that in interviews with police she had attempted to make it sound like the girl's condition appeared much better than it actually was. And the mother also denied claims that she was not going to get help for her daughter "no matter how bad she was" because she knew it would lead to another investigation from FACS.
