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Killer mother's 'magic wand' plea | |
(1 day later) | |
The trial of a woman who drowned her disabled four-year-old daughter has heard how she was drunk when she took her dead child to hospital. | |
Joanne Hill, 32, from Connahs Quay, Flintshire, asked Countess of Chester Hospital staff if they had a "magic wand" to make Naomi better. | |
Mrs Hill admits killing her daughter last November, but denies murder due to diminished responsibility. | |
Prosecutors say she was not mentally ill at the time the girl died. | |
After killing Naomi, who had mild cerebral palsy that affected her walking, prosecutors say Mrs Hill dressed the little girl and put her in her car, taking a bottle of wine with her. | |
Eight hours later Mrs Hill carried Naomi into the Chester hospital saying: "Will somebody help me, I think she's dead?" | |
I asked her if she wanted us to phone someone for her... she told us there was nobody for us to phone Helen Stroyd, clinical co-ordinator | |
Hospital staff told jurors they noticed that Mrs Hill was drunk and appeared distant and calm as doctors tried to resuscitate her daughter. | Hospital staff told jurors they noticed that Mrs Hill was drunk and appeared distant and calm as doctors tried to resuscitate her daughter. |
Nurse Jennifer Moore told the court how she later found Mrs Hill in reception sitting on the floor. | Nurse Jennifer Moore told the court how she later found Mrs Hill in reception sitting on the floor. |
"We picked her up and took her to the relatives' room and asked her what happened. | |
"She said 'Nothing, I don't know' in a giggle . Almost, you know, when somebody has had a few drinks and they are giggly like that," said Ms Moore.Clinical co-ordinator Helen Stroyd told how the mother had asked if hospital staff "could wave a magic wand and make Naomi better".Joanne Hill could not come to terms with Naomi's disability, the court heard | |
When asked what had happened , the mother told Ms Stroyd she did not know and that she had got to hospital by taxi. | |
Ms Stroyd also said that when a consultant paediatrician told Mrs Hill that her daughter had died, "there was disbelief in her face". | |
"I asked her if she wanted us to phone someone for her. She told us there was nobody for us to phone," said Ms Stroyd. | "I asked her if she wanted us to phone someone for her. She told us there was nobody for us to phone," said Ms Stroyd. |
Pc Andrea Ellis of Cheshire Police told the trial that when she was arresting Mrs Hill, she told her: "My daughter is dead and you're arresting me? I want to see her and give her a hug and a kiss." | |
'Waiting in heaven' | |
Mrs Hill was later allowed to see her daughter's body at the hospital. Pc Ellis described how she looked at the girl's hospital gown and started to cry. | Mrs Hill was later allowed to see her daughter's body at the hospital. Pc Ellis described how she looked at the girl's hospital gown and started to cry. |
The mother then looked at numbers printed on the gown and told the officer Naomi had been learning numbers at school. | The mother then looked at numbers printed on the gown and told the officer Naomi had been learning numbers at school. |
Mrs Hill then said: "Grandma will be waiting in heaven with her arms open," the court heard. | |
Custody sergeant Charles Taylor noted Mrs Hill's behaviour as "bizarre" and considered she was at risk of self-harm. | |
He told the jury he put her cell under constant supervision after she informed him she had a history of depression and contemplating suicide. | He told the jury he put her cell under constant supervision after she informed him she had a history of depression and contemplating suicide. |
He said: "I felt as if she understood everything. As I was questioning her she started doodling on a pad - it was as if her mind went off on a tangent. | |
"She was acting strangely. It was inconsistent with what you would expect of a person in such a serious situation." | |
Stephen Riordan QC, defending, said to Sgt Taylor: "In other words there was more to this than just drink?" | Stephen Riordan QC, defending, said to Sgt Taylor: "In other words there was more to this than just drink?" |
The officer replied: "Yes." | The officer replied: "Yes." |
The trial continues. |
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