A MAN on trial for the murder of a child in Northwich could be heard telling her ‘come on baby girl, it’s OK’ on a recording of his 999 call to the ambulance service.

Brandon Mark Heath, of HMP Altcourse, is charged with killing the 22-month-old child, who died on August 31, 2020, from ‘catastrophic’ brain injuries.

The 22-year-old has pleaded not guilty and denies causing her any injury.

As Heath’s trial continued at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, February 8, a recording of his phone call to North West Ambulance Service was played to the jury.

The court heard how he told the operator the child appeared to have ‘knocked herself out’ and her eyes were in the back of her head.

Heath said her breathing was noisy and she was struggling, as he was heard telling her, ‘come on baby girl, it’s OK’.

Body camera footage from a police officer who attended the scene was also played, showing paramedics treating the child in the bedroom.

The court saw Heath pacing around the living room with his hands on his head.

He told the officer the child was in her highchair before he took her out and tried to change her nappy but ‘she was having none of it’.

He then took her upstairs and put her on the floor, saying her eyes were ‘half open as if she wanted to sleep’ and her breathing had become croaky.

The jury also heard from two individuals who were asked about any safeguarding concerns regarding the child – none were raised.

A nurse practitioner saw the little girl on August 18 at the Minor Injury Unit at Victoria Infirmary with a graze on her chin, a laceration inside her lip and a small bruise on her head.

The child’s mum, who brought her in to be checked, had heard her daughter crying in another room and found her face down on the floor, as if she had fallen.

The nurse told her court the child was happy and playful throughout the consultation and her checks, she saw no safeguarding issues or reasons for concerns.

A family friend was also called to the witness box and said the relationship between Heath and the child’s mum seemed good and he got on well with the little girl.

The court was told how the child’s mum was not at home when Heath called 999 as she was giving her friend a lift to work.

The trial continues.