Mother who left her baby to die when she went shopping sold dead child’s clothes on Facebook

A mother who left her baby to die at home when she went shopping later sold her dead child’s clothes on Facebook, it has emerged.

Stacey Davis, 35, left one-year-old Ethan in his cot for two hours in 27C with a fractured skull.

She was jailed last week at Salisbury Crown Court having previously admitted a charge of child cruelty.

It has now emerged that following Ethan’s death in 2018, Davis listed his possessions for sale on social media. Among them was a ‘Little Man’s Savings’ money box for £5.

Davis also sold a bundle of baby clothes aged 3-6 months, tiny baby clothing and two all-in-one sleepsuits.

Salisbury Crown Court heard how Davis, of Melksham, Wiltshire, left her baby abandoned at home alone, trapped in a warm room with no windows open.

The mother, who regularly smoked cannabis around her son, returned to the property and then began texting a friend.

She failed to check on him for at least another 30 minutes, before discovering him lifeless in his cot and rushing him to hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

A post-mortem examination found a significant head injury - a 15cm skull fracture - but Ethan’s cause of death remains unascertained.

Davis appeared at Salisbury Crown Court on Thursday and was jailed for two years for an offence of child cruelty. She had admitted the offence at a previous hearing in May.

Prosecutor Simon Jones told the court that a post-mortem examination found a significant head injury - a 15cm skull fracture - but Ethan’s cause of death remains unascertained.

Under questioning, Davis told police her son had fallen out of a door and hit his head - and despite the swelling, bruising and obvious distress, she failed to take him to hospital.

“Any reasonable parent would have noticed the distress and sought medical attention”, Mr Jones added.

Forensic investigator Nicola Anderson also detected that there were high levels of cannabis in Ethan’s hair.

She said it was consistent with Davis smoking the drug around Ethan regularly.

Defence barrister Mark Ashley said his client’s case was a “classic example of post-natal depression”.

Ethan was born prematurely via C-section and required colon surgery immediately, resulting in a two-month stay in hospital.

Davis had relationship problems as well as financial issues and was struggling to bond with Ethan, Mr Ashley said.

“She was coping with it in the wrong way - she was smoking cannabis”, he added.

Mr Ashley told of how the defendant was scared to take Ethan to the hospital with an injury after social services previously removed him from her care due to a suspected broken leg. However, he was returned when the injury was found not to exist and found no wrongdoing.

He told the court that Davis has been working with Turning Point to cut out her cannabis use, but has smoked it this week due to her “stress levels being particularly high”.

Describing Davis’ behaviour as “thoroughly selfish”, Judge Parkes KC imposed a two-year immediate prison sentence, for which she will serve half in custody.

He said: “The sad fact is that you fell very seriously short of the duty owed to Ethan as his mother.

“He suffered a 15cm skull fracture one-to-three weeks before his death, likely to be from blunt impact of significant force.

“You failed to seek medical attention for the injury to his head. Any normal parent would put the child’s health before anything.

“It is clear you abandoned him on two occasions, including the day of this death.”