Baby J Murder trial mum had 13 miscarriages

A WOMAN accused of killing her baby boy suffered around 13 miscarriages and had a stillborn child on Christmas Day, a court heard.

Joanne Mallinder’s partner Gareth Cox revealed she had battled bulimia and when they discovered she was pregnant in 2005 they decided to abort the child.

But on the day of the appointment they couldn’t go through with it and changed their mind.

The couple then planned to have the child adopted, but had a change of heart when Jack was born.

The child was put into temporary foster care while they prepared their home for him. Mr Cox said the separation upset Mallinder. He said she was tearful.

But as far as he was concerned she had bonded well with Jack. Mr Cox, 32, said: “I believed it was down to post natal depression.

“This is partly what she told me and partly because she had suffered from depression with her bulimia.”

Mr Cox is still in a relationship with Jack’s mum Joanne Mallinder, 37, who denies murdering their son.

He said leading up to the day when Jack was taken to hospital with severe brain damage and six fractures to his arms and legs he was generally in good health. He died 13 months later.

Mr Cox also told Basildon Crown Court yesterday that when Jack was found unconscious and taken to hospital on February 13, 2006, Mallinder had gone out in the morning to have lunch with family. She returned home shaken and upset after having been involved in a car accident.

Mr Cox said he gave Mallinder a glass of wine and comforted her before going to recover the car.

He said he received a phone call from Mallinder shortly after leaving the flat at 8pm.

Mr Cox told the jury: “When I left Jack was still in his chair asleep. I was out for about 15 minutes when I received a call from Joanne. She was screaming Jack was not breathing.”

Mr Cox alerted the emergency services as he ran back to the flat they shared in Falcon Avenue, Grays, where he found Mallinder cradling Jack at the edge of the bed and trying to resuscitate him.

Mr Cox, a trained first aider, said the baby was very limp and his lips were starting to turn blue.

Mallinder, of Leicester Road, Tilbury, denies murder.

The trial continues.