A murdered baby suffered agonising injuries after likely being “projected against a hard surface”, an inquest was told.
Twelve-month-old Orianna Crilly-Cifrova suffered horrifying injuries to her skull following the vile attack, for which Jamie Chadwick was handed a life sentence behind bars.
Chadwick was under investigation for injuries to another child and had been ordered to stay away from children, when he murdered Chelsea Crilly’s daughter, the Daily Record reported.
The opening day of the eight-day long hearing was told Chadwick had informed police and his partner little Orianna had fallen down two steps during the hour he was with her.
Home Office pathologist Dr Charles Wilson detailed the injuries which killed the tot to the court, adding: “There has been at least two heavy, heavy impacts of trauma to the skull.
"I strongly suspect this was caused by her being picked up and projected against a hard surface.
“Along with two skull fractures to the back of her head, Orianna suffered broken ribs near her spinal cord.
"That used to be called ‘shaken baby syndrome’. When that happens, [one] might see that the subdural haemorrhage is thin.
“What we have here is lots of areas of thin haemorrhage but we have thicker head injury.
"We also have fractures to the skull. That could not be caused by shaking.
“We have a pattern of injury that is typical of impact.”
Dr Wilson visited the crime scene to assess the height of the steps Chadwick said Orianna fell down and gave a primary cause of death as head injuries.
The court told Orianna’s mother, Chelsea, told social services and health visitors Chadwick was not in contact with her baby - which was not the case.
The hearing also heard testimony from Michelle Howarth, the health visitor for Orianna.
She said she had been in regular contact with Chelsea during the course of Orianna’s all-too-short life and had made multiple referrals to Wigan Council’s social services unit.
She also contacted a service called Start Well.
An email to the pair, outlining a number of issues with the baby, was read out in court.
An extract read: “Orianna recently has been in hospital for seven injuries, two are unexplained
“Chelsea will not engage with Start Well. I feel further support could be offered.”
While Janice Fielding replied to the email reiterating that Chelsea ‘does not want support’, the coroner said Mr Peacock did not reply at all, according to Ms Howarth.
The inquest, due to adjourn next week and give a verdict on April 14, continues.
