A social worker who tried to see a toddler in the weeks before he was allegedly murdered by his grandparents was told the child was having a nap, a court has heard.
Two-year-old Ethan Ives-Griffiths died in hospital on August 16 2021, two days after an ambulance was called to the North Wales home of his grandparents Kerry Ives, 46, and Michael Ives, 47, where he was living along with his mother Shannon Ives, 28.
A trial at Mold Crown Court has heard Ethan suffered “catastrophic head injuries” and was severely underweight when he died.
Social worker Michael Cornish, from Flintshire County Council, said he first visited Shannon Ives on July 22 2021 at her parents’ home in Garden City in Deeside, Flintshire.
The court heard the mother moved back in with her parents after she “fled” her home in Mold due to domestic violence.
Mr Cornish said Ethan was on the child protection register, which meant he had to be seen every 10 days.
He said on his first visit he saw Ethan in the back garden of the property and described him as “a small two-year-old boy who was quite shy”.
He said Michael Ives, who stood with his daughter as he spoke to her, said words to the effect of: “He’s the quiet one, he doesn’t say anything.”
Mr Cornish told the court he contacted Shannon Ives to arrange another visit on August 5 but, following a conversation about isolating due to Covid, he only saw her on the doorstep and was told Ethan and one of his siblings were “having a nap”.
The court heard his visit lasted almost 45 minutes.
Mr Cornish said: “During the visit I asked to see the children again but they were still asleep.”
He said it was either Shannon Ives or her mother Kerry Ives who told him Ethan was asleep.
He added: “This was a time when it was Covid.
“It was very difficult, we had to be very careful with entering properties.
“For whatever reason I accepted those children were still asleep.”
On August 12 he said he arranged with health visitor Ellie Jones to go to the house for another visit but there was no answer at the door.
He tried to phone Shannon Ives the following day but there was no answer, the court heard.
Mr Cornish said he then went on leave, but emailed his manager to provide an update on the case and to say somebody needed to see the children.
Michael and Kerry Ives, of Kingsley Road, Garden City, deny murder, an alternative count of causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a person under 16.
Shannon Ives, of Nant Garmon, Mold, denies causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a person under 16.
The trial will continue on Thursday.
