Overview
- Alexandra Walker has been giving live evidence this week and began her testimony on Wednesday, tearfully denying she inflicted or encouraged the fatal head injury to her two‑year‑old daughter.
- Home Office pathologist Dr Sam Hoggard told the jury Isabelle had dozens of visible injuries, about 21 fractures and extensive bruising that he said could only be explained by repeated physical and sexual assaults over days and weeks.
- Consultant neuropathologist Dr Daniel Duplessis told jurors Isabelle suffered traumatic brain and spinal injury from a major skull impact combined with excessive motion of the head and spine.
- Walker admitted to lying to police and paramedics and to delaying a 999 call after finding Isabelle unresponsive, but she insisted she did not know who caused the injuries and blamed her partner Harrison Simpson.
- Simpson will not give evidence in his defence and the trial will now turn on whether jurors accept the forensic medical picture of prolonged abuse or the defendants' denials, with earlier safeguarding contacts and hospital visits under scrutiny.