In the matter of A
| Jurisdiction | Northern Ireland |
| Judge | Her Honour Judge Smyth |
| Judgment Date | 2013 |
| Neutral Citation | [2013] NICty 10 |
| Court | County Court (Northern Ireland) |
| Date | 26 November 2013 |
Neutral Citation No. [2013] NICty 10
Ref:
Judgment: approved by the Court for handing down
Delivered:
26/11/13
(subject to editorial corrections)*
In the Family Care Centre sitting in Belfast
In the matter of A
Her Honour Judge Smyth
Introduction:
1. This is an application for a care order in respect of A who was born on the 1st
June 2012, and is now aged 16 months. The care plan is permanence outside
the birth family. The guardian supports the application and the care plan.
2. On the 17th September 2012, the health visitor attended at the family home for
a 16 week assessment. The mother told the health visitor that she had noted
blood coming out of the baby’s mouth a few times over the previous few
weeks. On checking the baby’s mouth, the health visitor noted a torn upper
frenulum, on further examination the health visitor noted a bruise on the
baby’s lower left abdomen. The mother was unable to offer an explanation as
to the cause of either injury. The mother reported that a number of people
had cared for the baby in the recent past. The father was reported to be in bed
during the assessment; subsequently he suggested that the torn frenulum may
have occurred when the baby slipped from the maternal grandmother’s
hands and banged her mouth on a tap, while she was being bathed in the sink
two to three weeks previously.
3. Following admission to hospital, the baby was noted to have extensive
injuries including fractures and bruises as well as the torn frenulum. In
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