Grandparents guilty of murdering toddler Ethan Ives-Griffiths

Chris DeardenBBC NewsReporting fromMold Crown CourtFamily photoEthan Ives-Griffiths’ grandparents Michael and Kerry Ives have been discovered responsible of murdering himA grandfather and grandmother have been discovered responsible of murdering their two-year-old grandson. Ethan Ives-Griffiths, two, from Backyard Metropolis in Flintshire, died on 16 August 2021 after struggling a “catastrophic” head harm.Ethan’s grandfather Michael Ives, 47, and grandmother Kerry Ives, 46, have been each convicted of homicide after a trial at Mould Crown Courtroom.Ethan’s mom Shannon Ives, 28, from Mould, was additionally discovered responsible of inflicting or permitting the dying of a kid and cruelty to a toddler.North Wales PoliceMichael and Kerry Ives have been advised to anticipate life sentencesMichael and Kerry Ives have additionally been discovered responsible of cruelty to a toddler.The trio will all be sentenced on 3 October.The courtroom heard Ethan was dangerously dehydrated and severely underweight, with 40 seen bruises or marks, when he collapsed with a catastrophic head harm at his grandparents’ residence on the night of 14 August 2021.Shannon Ives had been staying along with her son at her dad and mom’ residence in Backyard Metropolis when the courtroom heard he was “focused for abuse and subjected to informal cruelty”.Because the verdicts have been introduced, Shannon and Kerry Ives stared forward whereas Michael Ives rested his head on his left hand whereas beginning in entrance of him.Chatting with Michael and Kerry Ives, Decide Mr Justice Griffiths mentioned there was solely “one sentence for homicide and that’s life imprisonment.””I’ve to contemplate the minimal time period you will need to serve earlier than you could be thought of for launch on licence, which is prone to be a few years from now,” he mentioned. “Within the case of Shannon Ives, a considerable jail sentence is sort of sure, and the sentence could be very unlikely to be something apart from rapid custody.”Throughout a seven-week trial, the jury heard a 13-minute 999 name made by Kerry Ives to the ambulance service on the night of 14 August, saying Ethan had collapsed whereas watching tv.Michael Ives is heard saying “he appears to be like like he is asleep”. The decision ended when paramedics arrived on the home.Ethan was then taken to Alder Hey Kids’s Hospital in Liverpool, the place “a number of areas of bruises” have been famous on his physique. Ethan was pronounced lifeless on 16 August.The jury was additionally proven CCTV put in within the Ives’ backyard which confirmed Ethan apparently struggling for stability whereas different youngsters bounced round him. In a number of clips, he was seen mendacity on his aspect and regardless of attending to his toes, was seen falling repeatedly. At one level, his mom Shannon climbed on the trampoline and bounced, inflicting Ethan to fall.