Jordan Monaghan trial: Baby was fine hours before death, court hears

A man accused of murdering his two children offered to do the night feed for the first time shortly before his daughter's death, a court has heard.

Jordan Monaghan, 30, is accused of smothering his 24-day-old daughter Ruby in January 2013 before killing his 21-month-old son Logan eight months later.

The children's mother Laura Gray told Preston Crown Court Ruby was "fine" before she found her dead hours later.

Mr Monaghan, of Blackburn, denies murdering his two children.

He also denies the murder of his new partner Evie Adams, 23, in October 2019 by giving her an overdose of tramadol and diazepam.

Ms Gray, 28, who was Mr Monaghan's partner at the time, said hours before Ruby died she and the defendant had put Logan to bed and watched TV on 31 December 2012.

She added that her daughter had fed normally and was "absolutely fine".

After seeing in the New Year, she went to bed just after midnight with Ruby sleeping in her Moses basket on the living room floor.

The court heard Mr Monaghan offered to stay up to give Ruby her 02:00 GMT feed for the first time.

But Ms Gray said she was awoken shortly before 02:00 by her partner shouting from downstairs.

She told the jury: "He shouted 'Laura, come down now. I don't think Ruby is breathing'."

Prosecutor Andrew Smith QC asked Ms Gray: "How did Ruby look to you?"

"She looked grey and her lips were blue. She felt clammy," she replied.

"I could not see her breathing."

Ruby was rushed to hospital accompanied by her mother but she did not regain consciousness and despite emergency treatment she was pronounced dead at 02:45.

Ms Gray asked a nurse to call Mr Monaghan, before he arrived at the hospital, but not to tell him their daughter had died.

The court heard when he got there and Ms Gray told him their daughter was dead he replied "I know, I know", saying a nurse had told him on the phone.

But the jury heard none of the hospital staff made such a call to tell him.

Mr Monaghan, of Belgrave Close, also denies two counts of attempted murder and two counts of cruelty to a third child, who cannot be identified, all between 1 January 2013 and 24 October 2019.

The trial continues.

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