Parents guilty of causing death of baby Ava Mae Collard

Paramedics found Ava Mae Collard in cardiac arrest when they arrived at her home

A mother and father have been convicted of causing the death of their five-month-old daughter.

Paramedics found Ava Mae Collard in cardiac arrest at her home in Stone, Staffordshire, in February 2020.

She died a few days later in hospital. Rebecca Grocott, 27, of Stone, and Joshua Collard, 30, of Stafford, were found guilty after a five-week trial.

A post-mortem test found Ava had a number of broken bones and had suffered severe trauma to the side of her head.

Staffordshire Police said when Grocott and Collard had been interviewed after the death, they could not explain what had happened and were arrested on 25 March 2020.

The post-mortem test found multiple fractures to Ava's ribs, collar bone and femur.

The trauma to the side of her head also caused an ear injury.

Joshua Collard and Rebecca Grocott were found guilty after a five-week trial

After the trial at Stafford Crown Court, Grocott and Collard were found guilty on Tuesday of causing or allowing the death of a child, causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child and two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a child through assault, ill-treatment, neglect or abandonment.

Det Con Emily Hanlon said it was a "truly tragic case in which five-month-old Ava died as a result of the actions of two people who should have protected her".

Staffordshire County Council cabinet member for children and young people Mark Sutton said Ava Mae was known to children's services and its sympathies were "with everyone affected" by her death.

He added: "As Ava Mae was known to our children's services, we will now wait for any outcome of any child safeguarding practice review into this case."

Grocott and Collard were remanded in custody and are due to be sentenced at the same court on 27 July.