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Danny Shepherd denies killing Eli Cox at Minster home

A man accused with his girlfriend of being responsible for the death of her young baby, who died from “catastrophic” brain damage, has claimed he never deliberately did anything to harm the child.

Danny Shepherd accepted he could have fractured Eli Cox’s ribs when he tried to resuscitate him.

But he maintained he knew nothing about any of the other multiple fractures the five-month-old baby suffered.

VIDEO: Danny Shepherd talks about resuscitating the child (Credit: Kent Police)

Shepherd, who started a relationship with Cox when she was four-and-a-half months pregnant with Eli, also insisted when giving evidence he was not blaming anybody else for the baby’s death at their home in Lapwing Close, Minster.

Asked if he had tried to work out what was responsible, he replied: “Every day, yeah.”

He added he only wanted to know why Eli had “come back so ill” from the home of friend Emma Letford after she looked after him overnight.

Shepherd, 25, and mother-of-nine Kathy Cox, 33, now both of Faversham, deny causing or allowing the death of a child and causing or allowing physical harm to a child.

They also deny possessing the Class B drug amphetamine. Eli was said to have been exposed to the drug as well as cocaine.

Maidstone Crown Court has heard that 28 fractures to 19 bones in Eli’s body were consistent with being “twisted, pulled, crushed and bent in half’”.

Katherine Cox and Danny Shepherd have been charged with two counts of causing or allowing the death of a child, and one count of possession of a class B drug
Katherine Cox and Danny Shepherd have been charged with two counts of causing or allowing the death of a child, and one count of possession of a class B drug

Prosecutor Jennifer Knight said Eli suffered extensive brain damage consistent with shaking and caused by a prolonged period of insufficient oxygen to the brain.

It was suggested the injuries were inflicted on many different occasions leading up to the child’s collapse on Wednesday, April 13 last year. He died two weeks later.

Shepherd said he had been concerned about “rough handling” of Eli by Cox’s friend Emma Letford. She would “catch him in the air” and play with him on the bed.

Asked by his QC Nadine Radford if he ever got cross with the baby, he said: “Never, I didn’t get cross, no.”

Eli stayed with Ms Letford for the night on Sunday, April 10, and Ms Letford made over 20 calls the next day asking for him to be collected.

Danny Shepherd and Katherine Cox outside Maidstone Crown Court. Picture: Andy Payton.
Danny Shepherd and Katherine Cox outside Maidstone Crown Court. Picture: Andy Payton.

“For some reason she wanted him gone on Monday morning, which is unusual,” said Shepherd.

After they collected him, he kept being sick and waking up.

Asked if Eli had any other problems, Shepherd said: “No, he was fine. He was a happy little baby.”

The trial continues.

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