‘What I did to James will always hurt me’ – mum
AMOTHER accused of murdering her baby son sent her partner a text following the little boy’s death saying what she had done “will always hurt me”, a court heard.
A jury at Mold Crown Court has heard Hannah Turtle, 22, poisoned and fatally suffocated baby James.
The trial has been told she put her own anti-depressant drug in the seven-week-old’s milk bottle.
She also stopped him breathing on three occasions over a 10-day period, the last of which resulted in his death.
Ms Turtle admits all the incidents but denies murder and says she did not intend to kill her son or to cause him really serious harm.
Yesterday her partner Ian Hughes gave evidence and told jurors how he had received texts from her in the aftermath of their son’s death, including one saying she would do anything “to get out of this nightmare”.
Mr Hughes, a former soldier and TA member, said she told him at the start of their relationship that she had experienced mental health problems.
He said Turtle, from Ryeland Street in Shotton, seemed happy during the pregnancy and James was in a cot next to their bed after they returned home.
Turtle said she felt a bit stressed and under the weather when Mr Hughes went back to work after having two weeks off following the birth but he said he had no concerns about her, the court heard.
After James died on June 13 Mr Hughes said he was given time off work and spent time with Turtle.
Mr Hughes said he received text messages from Turtle in September includingone saying “What I did to James will always hurt me” and another reading: “I would do anything to get out of this nightmare”.
Cross-examined by Gordon Cole QC, for the defence, Mr Hughes said he never had any concern about Turtle’s health or her ability to look after James.
Mr Cole said that in May 2016 they had been to a GP who had described her as “tearful, anxious and with thoughts of self-harm”.
Mr Hughes said he could not remember that but said she was feeling ill and a bit down.
Mr Hughes, who was in the army for 14 years and has been left with mild post-traumatic stress disorder, said Turtle had earlier miscarried after a fall in work but immediately became pregnant again with James and was happy.
She had never mentioned hearing voices in her head, he said.
Turtle denies murder, three charges of ill-treatment and two of administering poison.
The child was taken to hospital from the family home on June 9, 2016. He died on 13 June.
He was initially treated at the Countess of Chester Hospital and was then transferred to Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where he died.
The court heard Turtle and Mr Hughes began a relationship in May 2015 and James was born on April 17, 2016.
The trial continues.