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CJ Bodhi White, 10 months old, died in hospital after being injured in Hokitika in July 2019. His father, David Grant Sinclair, was found guilty of his murder.
Oranga Tamariki visited the home of a 10-month-old baby due to concerns about his well-being just under three weeks before his father beat him to death.
David Grant Sinclair, 31, was found guilty by a jury in Greymouth Superior Court on Thursday for the murder of his son, CJ White.
The baby died on July 9, 2019, after suffering 30 bruises on his body, complex skull fractures and bleeding in the brain and behind both eyes.
Kaye MacDonald, regional manager for Oranga Tamariki Upper South Island, confirmed that the department was informed of concerns about CJ’s well-being on June 6.
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“After this, our staff began collecting information to assess its safety. This included contacting the wider whānau and other agencies. “
Two social workers visited CJ and his family at their home on June 21. MacDonald said she would not comment on what steps, if any, were taken before a forensic investigation was conducted.
A Plunket nurse, Sinclair’s friends and neighbor told the court that they saw CJ bruised but had no concerns.
Things
David Grant Sinclair has been found guilty by a Superior Court jury of murdering his 10-month-old son, CJ.
Previous injuries include a major groin injury that experts say was caused by a kick or punch, bruises, a broken foot, and brain damage that was caused at least three days, but possibly months, before his death.
“After CJ’s death, Oranga Tamariki reviewed his work and our actions will be considered by a medical examiner,” MacDonald said.
Oranga Tamariki had made “significant efforts” to ensure a “more timely” intervention for children at risk.
“The emphasis is on the rapid and accurate identification of children and youth whose safety and needs are best addressed through the child protection system.”
Social workers were now clear on the need to interact with families earlier, he said.
CJ’s maternal family said in a statement that they were happy with the verdict, but that “there were no winners here, just a huge loss.”
“Many mistakes were made in CJ’s life in the last two months that he was alive. But only one person, David Sinclair, is responsible and will now pay for this, “they said.
“We have waited 18 months and kept silent to make sure there is justice for CJ.”
Joanne Carroll / THINGS
It took a Superior Court jury four hours to find David Sinclair guilty of murder.
Detective Sergeant Aaron Paulsen said it was “another tragedy in which a child died.”
“It is an endemic problem. We need a creative approach that involves all agencies, the police, child protection services, education and health workers to prevent this from happening in the future.
Sinclair looked pale but emotionless as the jury returned its unanimous guilty verdict after about four hours of deliberation.
Judge Rebecca Edwards referred Sinclair for sentencing to a provisional date of January 22.
She said the Crown had alleged that the motive for Sinclair’s murder was his frustration over CJ’s teething and insomnia, while the defense argued that it made no sense for a “loving father to kill his baby while his other son slept in. the house and its friends. ” they were on their way ”.
Previous injuries and bruises aside, medical experts deemed it unlikely that CJ’s head injuries were sustained from a fall down the stairs.
Sinclair’s mother said he was a good father, but not perfect, and that she had never seen him get angry or hit her son.
Crown prosecutor Deirdre Elsmore said CJ died from a violent assault by his father and that a previous injury to the groin was an “extraordinary, cruel and callous assault.”
Sinclair told “selfish, selfish lies … dreamed while CJ was unconscious and struggling to breathe,” he said.
A forensic pathologist said it was possible, but unlikely, that CJ’s head injury was caused by a fall down the stairs.
The injury was unusually severe and similar to those generally seen in high-impact road crashes.
Defense attorney Andrew McKenzie said teething did not accumulate as a motive for the murder, and Sinclair had many friends and family who helped him care for CJ.
