Mum said she was 'made to lie' after baby died

Jurors have seen footage of medics attending to Archie at a house in Bromley Gardens

A teenage mother told police that she was "made" to lie after her six-month-old baby suddenly became unwell and died more than 18 months ago, jurors heard.

Saskia Woodbridge, who was then 19 and lived in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, told a detective that her new partner, Kieran Humphreys, his mother, and one of his friends put "pressure" on her.

Prosecutors told a trial at Luton Crown Court that Mr Humphreys, now 33, shook and murdered Archie Woodbridge while alone with him at a house in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, on 9 February 2024.

Mr Humphreys, of Bromley Gardens, Houghton Regis, denies unlawfully killing Archie, and has pleaded not guilty to murder, manslaughter and child cruelty.

'Pressure'

Prosecutors told jurors that Miss Woodbridge, now 20, left Archie with Mr Humphreys while she went to a nail salon in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.

Barrister Charlotte Newell KC, who leads the prosecution team, said Mr Humphreys, then 31, appeared to have killed Archie after losing his temper

Evidence showed that Archie had been "gripped and shaken" and suffered a fatal brain injury, while in Mr Humphreys' "sole care", Miss Newell has said.

Mr Humphreys had been "awake throughout the night" playing Call of Duty on Xbox, she added.

A prosecution lawyer on Wednesday read a statement from a detective who spoke to Miss Woodbridge shortly after Archie had died.

She had started to explain what had happened, but then said she "could not lie any longer" and "wanted to tell the truth", jurors heard.

Miss Woodbridge told the detective that Mr Humphreys, his mother, Sharon Humphreys, and friend Karen Smith "made her lie about what happened and when".

She had said they "put pressure" on her "not to place Kieran" in "sole charge of Archie".

A trial has been told that Kieran Humphreys lived in Bromley Gardens, Houghton Regis

Miss Newell has said evidence showed that Archie was injured at Ms Smith's home in Dolphin Drive, Houghton Regis and then moved.

She said Mr Humphreys, Ms Smith, 40, and Miss Woodbridge took him to the home of a relative, who also lived in Bromley Gardens.

Jurors were told how a 999 call was made, directing paramedics to the relative's property.

Mr Humphreys told police on the night Archie died that he had been "at home" when his "mum" rang saying, "Saskia's baby was not breathing".

Miss Newell said Mr Humphreys' priority after Archie died had been to "save his own skin".

She said Mr Humphreys had lied about the circumstances in which Archie became unwell - and had admitted perverting the course of justice.

A prosecution barrister said Archie was injured at a house in Dolphin Drive - then moved

Two women, who saw Mr Humphreys holding a baby in Dolphin Drive at around 16:00 GMT on 9 February, had also made statements, jurors were told.

Lidia Mieszkowska said she heard him shouting to the child, "are you feeling better now?".

Julia Cassanga said she saw him "walking around in circles" saying: "What is happening, what is happening? Why are you crying so much? Keep quiet".

Kieran Humphreys, who denies murdering Archie, is on trial at Luton Crown Court

Miss Woodbridge told the trial on Wednesday how she had met Mr Humphreys in a shop on 2 February 2024 - about a week before Archie died

They had walked to her car and he had put air in one of the tyres, she said.

She added: "I felt very cared for."

The trial continues.