Boy 'held in hot, boiling water' before death

There was medical evidence Dwelaniyah Robinson was held down in hot water, the court heard

A plastic surgeon has told a murder trial that a three-year-old boy was forcibly immersed in hot water.

Christina Robinson, 30, denies murdering her son Dwelaniyah Robinson at their home in Durham on 5 November 2022.

Ms Robinson had told police Dwelaniyah had received his burns accidentally when he was playing in the shower, the jury heard.

However, consultant Timothy Burge told Newcastle Crown Court it would not have been “physically possible” to see the same injuries caused in a shower.

Mr Burge, who examined photographs of the child as part of the police investigation, said 15-20% of the surface area of Dwelaniyah’s skin had been burnt.

He said: "The child has been put into the water as distinct to the child getting into the water itself."

Dwelaniyah had also suffered “full thickness burns” where the skin had gone, Mr Burge said.

'Long-standing neglect'

Earlier a doctor told the jury there is medical evidence that Dwelaniyah was “held down in boiling water” before he died.

Dr Lekshmi Nair, a consultant paediatrician at the University Hospital of North Durham told the jury burns on Dwelaniyah’s body were “typical of immersion burns” where a child has been “held in hot, boiling water”

She said the burns had “clear demarcated edges”, indicating that the child was held down.

Dr Nair said the boy had several bruises on his body including the chest and abdomen, which suggested "non-accidental injury".

She said several of the marks on his body indicated he had been struck with a long implement with high velocity.

Dr Nair said Dwelaniyah also had friction scars which suggested "long-standing neglect".

The court heard the boy's abdomen was swollen, which was likely caused by “trauma” from outside the body.

CT scans of his head taken after his death showed “acute, recent bleeding inside the skull”.

'Weeks of pain'

Dr Nair said Ms Robinson told her she had treated his burn injuries at home, rather than taking him to see a doctor, as she knew a bit of first aid.

But Dr Nair said his injuries were so severe he should have been admitted to a burns unit.

Dwelaniyah died in hospital in November 2022.

Dr Nair said the boy would have suffered three to four weeks of pain prior to his death.

Ms Robinson, of Bracken Court, Ushaw Moor, has pleaded not guilty to murder and child cruelty.

The trial continues.