GUILTY UK - Lexi Draper, 3, & Scarlett Vaughan, 16 mos, murdered, Skiddaw, Rugby, Jan/Feb 2018 *GUILTY*

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12:15
'Normal self'
Karen Porton says that when Lexi left hospital on January 8, 2018, she was “her normal self”.

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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This silence is riveting...

 

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12:34
Children "fine" on day of hospital admission
Karen Porton remembers going to the Brewers Fayre pub with her own children and Louise Porton, Lexi and Scarlett on January 14, 2018.

She says all of the children were “fine”.

The witness says that she isn’t sure if Louise Porton “rang to say she had rang paramedics or when they were there” that evening, with regards to Lexi being taken ill.

She recalls that Louise Porton said “medics were resuscitating...trying to”.

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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The 14th is the night Lexi died, she called an ambulance in the early hours of the 15th, about 3 hours after searching up about resuscitation and signs of death, and Lexi was in rigor mortis when they arrived. She was also messaging people that evening about Lexi having the deadly flu.

 

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12:46
Mum 'completely blank' after daughter's death
The jury hears Karen Porton recall that Louise Porton was messaging her “saying she had checked on Lexi and then she rang me and it was a brief call. I told her to ring the ambulance immediately”.

Prosecutor Mr Saxby asks if Karen Porton had concerns about Louise Porton in the days after Lexi’s death.

Karen Porton replies: “She was completely blank.”


12:49
Scarlett 'fine" after sister's death
Mr Saxby asks how Scarlett was in the days after Lexi’s death and Karen Porton says she was fine.

On February 1, Karen Porton says that Scarlett was dropped off at a creche at a centre in Rugby while she and Louise Porton used the gym for around an hour.

Karen Porton says that Scarlett was “fine”.

Later that day Karen Porton was with her sister and Scarlett at the Rugby Hotel while a social worker met them for an arranged appointment.

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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Feb 1st is the day (evening) Scarlett died and she called the hospital after driving to the retail park.

 

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12:57
Scarlett's death
The court hears Karen Porton remembering speaking to Louise Porton on the evening of February 1, 2018, and being told that Scarlett had fallen asleep twice that day, which was “out of the blue” for Scarlett.

Karen Porton says: “She (Louise) was concerned and was going to take Scarlett to the hospital.”

The witness next saw her sister in hospital and doesn’t believe that Scarlett dying had “really sunk in - she was completely blank”.

Mr Saxby asks: “Had Louise said anything to you with concerns about Scarlett’s health?”

Karen Porton says: “No.”

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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13:01
Sister: She was a 'good mother'
Mr Smith begins his cross-examination for the defence of Karen Porton by asking if Louise Porton was “shy in public” and “wouldn’t easily show her emotions”.

Karen Porton agrees.

Mr Smith says that as Karen and Louise Porton spent a lot of time together in the company of their children, Karen had witnessed Louise Porton being “both gentle and kind towards Lexi and Scarlett”.

Again, she agrees.

The jury hears that in her statement to police, Karen Porton described her sister as a “good mother”.

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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13:04
Mum loved her kids "very much"
Mr Smith says of Louise Porton: “She plainly cared for each of them and loved both of them.”

Karen Porton replies: “Very much.”

She tells the court that she and Louise Porton would look after each other’s children at different times, and she also didn’t have any problem raising issues with her sister if she felt it necessary.

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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13:12
Lexi 'seemed absolutely fine' after hospital admission
While Louise Porton was in hospital with Lexi from January 4 to 8, Karen Porton was looking after Scarlett.

Mr Smith says that Karen and Louise Porton contacted each other via phone a lot during that time and Louise Porton was “upset at times while Lexi was in hospital”.

Karen Porton agrees.

Mr Smith asks if Lexi was “presenting as unwell” after she had been discharged from hospital on January 8.

Karen Porton says: “No. She seemed absolutely fine.”


13:14
Pub trip
Karen Porton tells the court that Louise Porton voiced some concerns about Lexi’s health following her time in hospital.

Mr Smith asks if during their visit to the Brewers Fayre pub - which has a play area for children - on January 14 was Lexi “playing less” than usual.

Karen Porton says: “No. We couldn’t keep her out of there.”

The barrister asks if Lexi ate less of her meal than usual and Karen Porton says she didn’t eat much but this “wasn’t out of the ordinary” for Lexi.

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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13:17
Cold hotel room
The jury hears that in the few days before the Brewers Fayre visit, Louise Porton had been trying to get out of the Rugby Hotel as often as possible as she was complaining that her room was cold.

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

(I wonder if this is being said by the barrister or the sister)

 

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13:21
Lunch break
The court has now broken for lunch.

We will resume live updates from the case shortly after 2pm.
Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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12:07
Sister: “Your kids have got to come first"
During another exchange between Porton and her sister, Karen said: “So you will just leave them to go * lads.”

Porton: “Was only one time. Know it was wrong that’s why I refused him last night.”

Karen: “You’ve probably left them a few times. You are forever lying to me.”

Later on, Karen tells Porton: “Your kids have got to come first.”

Court LIVE: Accused mum 'acted like she'd lost goldfish' after daughters' deaths

Interesting contrast with the evidence KP is giving today

 

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14:17
Court resumes
We’re back underway here in Court 8 at Birmingham.

Karen Porton is once again in the witness box and being asked questions by Andrew Smith QC, who represents Louise Porton, the witness’ sister.


14:23
Moved in with sister
Louise Porton and Scarlett were at Karen Porton’s home in Rugby until shortly before 7pm on January 14, 2018, before returning to the flat at Beechwood Court.

Following Lexi’s death in mid-January, the jury hears that Louise Porton and Scarlett moved in to live with Karen Porton before getting a room at the Rugby Hotel later in January.


Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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14:27
Mum became 'protective'
Karen Porton agrees that her sister became “protective” towards Scarlett following Lexi’s death and Louise Porton told her that she was struggling to come to terms with her daughter’s death.

Mr Smith says that there was no change to how Louise Porton looked after Scarlett except for being more protective - the witness agrees.

The barrister asks Karen Porton if she remembers chatting on the phone with her and Louise’ father while at the funeral directors on January 29.

She doesn’t remember that.


14:38
Mum concerned by daughter falling asleep
Karen Porton agrees that she would, at times, try to “cheer up” her sister by making her laugh.

Mr Smith asks if she did this during an occasion at the council offices. Karen Porton replies: “Possibly.”

Turning to February 1, the court hears that Scarlett fell asleep in the afternoon at Karen Porton’s house.

“Louise was shocked by that,” states Mr Smith.

Karen Porton agrees and says Louise Porton seemed “concerned” by Scarlett falling asleep.

The court has heard that Scarlett wasn’t the easiest of sleepers.

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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14:39
Child unusually tired
It is said that Scarlett would usually fall asleep at “nighttime” rather than in “the evening”, and would wake up a few times during the night.

This would usually be followed by her staying awake throughout the day.

Mr Smith says that on February 1 Louise Porton sent a message to her sister saying that Scarlett had fallen asleep again, following on from her sleeping at Karen Porton’s house in the afternoon.

The next time that Karen Porton heard from her sister was when Louise Porton was saying she was on her way to hospital with Scarlett.


14:50
Mum 'hit very hard' by daughter's deaths
When at the hospital following Scarlett’s death, Karen Porton agrees with Mr Smith that Louise Porton was “blank and in shock”.

Mr Smith says: “At other times she was visibly upset and crying.”

Karen Porton says: “Yes.”

The court hears that in her statement to police, Karen Porton described her sister as being “hit very hard” by her two daughters’ deaths.

That concludes Karen Porton’s evidence.


Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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Interesting contrast with the evidence KP is giving today

Yes but I think this reporter was half asleep earlier and we weren't getting the full picture of her testimony. Huge gaps between updates. At least we know her text messages are incontrovertible.

 

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The 4th is when she was seen by a neighbour coming out of a man's room where she had been for 45 minutes before the ambulance arrived. Defence claims it was 5 minutes.

 

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15:36
Hard to breathe
Referring to the hospital’s notes, Porton had told hospital staff that Lexi was “very floppy” when ambulance crews had arrived following a 999 call, Dr Newall states.

The paediatric registrar examined Lexi at hospital and found she could breathe for herself, but sounded “crackly” on both sides of her chest.

Dr Newall says that Lexi was admitted to the high dependency ward as her blood gas test results were “very abnormal” which showed she was “very unwell”.

The jury hears that Lexi was also “working hard with her breathing”.

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap

 

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15:42
'Things weren't adding up'
Dr Newall called the on-call consultant as “some things weren’t adding up for me”.

Mr Saxby presses for more details and Dr Newall says that infection is usually to blame for these sort of issues, although they had been given no history of temperatures which they would usually expect to see if that was the case.

However, an X-ray was done which showed some “patches” on both sides of Lexi’s chests and they began to treat her for an infection.

Court LIVE: Mum accused of murdering daughters on trial - recap