The father of a toddler who died after suffering serious head injuries raised concerns about his daughter’s wellbeing weeks before her death, a court was told.
James Chappell believed his ex-partner or her new lover were responsible for the bruising he discovered on his two-year-old daughter’s body and feared for her safety.
Teesside Crown Court heard how within weeks of her father raising his concerns, his daughter had suffered fatal head injuries and died in hospital without ever regaining consciousness.
Maya’s mother, Dana Carr, is accused of child cruelty and allowing the death of a child, while her new partner, Michael Daymond, is accused of murdering the toddler and a further charge of child cruelty.
Mr Chappell told jurors that his relationship with Carr was fractious and he was not allowed to see his daughter for around three weeks after he initially challenged her about the injuries on Maya’s body and face in August last year.
He said Carr moved from Catchgate, near Consett, to Shotton Colliery, after he raised concerns about his daughter's safety.
During a pre-recorded video interview with police, Mr Chappell described his relationship with his daughter.
"Maya is a lovely kid, she will trust anybody but she just didn't want to go with them," he said.
He described Daymond as very manipulative and he didn't really like him.
He said he didn’t believe that Carr loved their daughter in the same way that he did.
Describing Maya’s previous injuries, he said she had bruises on her faces and all-round the top of her thighs, including around her private parts, that he believes were not caused by accident.
Mr Chappell said he raised concerns about the injuries with Carr's family and told them that he believed Daymond had caused them.
Under cross examination from Nicholas Lumley KC, representing Daymond, Mr Chappell confirmed that Carr moved house without telling him and was attending a nursery - but he didn't know which one.
Mr Lumley asked Mr Chappell if he was ever satisfied with Carr's responses when he brought up the subject of Maya's bruising. He replies: "No, I wasn't."
And under cross examination from Toby Hedworth KC, representing Dana Carr, he denied ever hitting his former partner and allegations that he was involved in drug dealing.
Earlier, the court had heard how Carr started a relationship with her co-accused, Daymond, in the summer of 2022 and they moved in together at the end of August.
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Five weeks later the toddler suffered the fatal head injuries at the hands of Daymond, Mr Nolan said.
Daymond, formerly of Shotton Colliery, County Durham, has pleaded not guilty to murder and a second charge of cruelty to a child.
Twenty-four-year-old Carr, also formerly of Shotton Colliery, denies child cruelty and allowing the death of a child.
The trial continues.
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