Cooper Johnson-Hicks death: Paramedics 'not called for hours'
Quote:
Emergency services were not called for more than three hours after a one-month-old baby was dropped by his father and suffered fatal head injuries, an inquest heard.
Cooper Johnson-Hicks died from the injuries sustained in St Blazey, Cornwall on 26 June 2016.
His father, Tristan Hicks, took his own life on 23 July 2016 after being questioned by police about the death.
Mr Hicks told Devon and Cornwall Police he was holding Cooper in the crook of his right arm while carrying a bottle of milk in his left hand, the inquest heard.
He said he tripped over a Moses basket that was on the floor of the living room.
"I wasn't holding him properly. I came rushing in, tripped over and he came flying out onto the floor," he told officers.
Cooper hit his head and was initially fine but "went all weird" two or three hours afterwards, the inquest heard Mr Hicks had told police.
When the coroner, Dr Emma Carlyon, asked why Mr Hicks, who had aspergers syndrome, failed to tell anyone, she said: "He was frightened. Frightened of police, social services."
The hearing heard how Cooper was under a child protection plan due to previous loud arguments that had been reported to police.
_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
12 Aug 2017, 9:53 pm
