Toddler crushed to death by car seat for being ‘noisy’, court told
A TODDLER was crushed to death when his mother’s boyfriend deliberately moved his car seat backwards after becoming annoyed at the noise he was making, a court has heard.
Alfie Lamb, three, had been placed in the rear footwell of an Audi A4 car by Adrian Hoare, 23, his mother, as they set off on a journey from their home in Croydon, south London, last February.
But the boy was “squashed” at the “touch of a button” when Stephen Waterson, 25, her boyfriend, became angry at the “noise and fuss” he was making in the back and twice moved his electric powered seat backwards.
Alfie was suffocated and suffered brain damage, eventually dying as a result of “crush asphyxia”.
The court heard how Marcus Lamb, 22, had been driving the car with Mr Waterson in the front passenger seat, Miss Hoare behind him and Emilie Williams, Mr Lamb’s girlfriend, in the other rear passenger seat.
Rather than securing Alfie in a car seat, his mother had placed the boy in the rear footwell at her mother’s feet. The Old Bailey was told that at some point during the journey, Mr Waterson had become angry and had deliberately moved his electric seat backwards, crushing the child.
Alfie had become distressed and the other passengers had pleaded for Mr Waterson to move the seat forwards.
But when the youngster made another noise, it is alleged he moved the seat backwards again and held it there.
Miss Hoare denies manslaughter, child cruelty and common assault on Miss Williams. Mr Waterson denies manslaughter and intimidation of Mr Lamb. The pair and Miss Williams have admitted conspiring to pervert the course of justice. The trial continues.