Baby found asleep near dead mother, court hears
A Clonakilty woman was found stabbed to death in her estranged partner's flat with their baby son asleep nearby and her ex-partner lying on the floor with cuts to his throat and wrists, a court has heard.
Hadim Kedik, aged 32, with an address at 10 Connolly Street, Clonakilty, Co Cork, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Rose Patterson, aged 30, between April 11 and 12, last year.
Today, the Central Criminal Court at Dublin heard from two men who discovered the grisly scene on the morning of April 12 last year.
Kedik’s employer Justin Crowley told Mr John O’Kelly SC for the DPP he went to the apartment that morning because Kedik’s workmate, Romazan Cansu, had called him saying Kedik had failed to show for work at his barbershop.
Mr Crowley told the court he knew Kedik had been having relationship problems and had let him move into the apartment above the barbershop.
When he arrived about 11am he said, he unlocked the apartment door but something was jamming it so he pushed it with his shoulder.
“I could see Hadim lying on the floor and blood everywhere.”
Kedik who had cut his own throat and wrists, was lying face down on the carpet.
Ms Patterson was cold and dead sitting up against the door blocking it from opening.
“The child was about two feet away from him (Kedik) in a crouched position and I assumed the child was asleep,” Mr Crowley said.
He closed the door and ran downstairs to call 999.
Mr Cansu then went upstairs to see what was happening and discovered the shocking scene.
“I saw everything. I was in shock,” he told the court.
“There was a blood trail that it was obvious to me that the baby had made walking between his two parents,” Mr Cansu said.
He also ran downstairs in shock.
He said he took the baby from paramedics when they arrived.
The court heard Kedik had moved to Ireland in 2002 from Turkey to start work in Mr Crowley’s barbershop, 'A Cut Above'.
Kedik started a relationship with Ms Patterson who already had two children and, in July 2005, their son was born.
When Kedik’s relationship with Ms Patterson ended he moved into the apartment above the barbershop where Ms Patterson would bring their son for access visits.
The court heard about lunchtime on April 11 last year Ms Patterson took their son to the apartment and Kedik, who had the day off work, was seen walking up to the apartment carrying a bag with Vodka and Red Bull in it, the court heard.
Mr Cansu told the court the estranged couple had been arguing the previous two weeks about the baby’s injured finger, Kedik claiming Ms Patterson was not looking after his son.
Mr Cansu said Ms Patterson was angry and the access visits were not regular so he had advised Kedik to see a solicitor.
On the day Ms Patterson visited, Mr Cansu said he phoned upstairs to remind Kedik he had an appointment with the solicitor but Kedik told him he was still waiting for his son to arrive.
Mr Cansu said he walked upstairs and heard an argument, seeing a woman’s form through the Perspex door and hearing Ms Patterson using loud and vulgar language.
He went back to work in the barbershop downstairs, again calling Kedik on the phone.
Kedik told him they were having a conversation but everything was sorted out, he said.
The following day Kedik did not come down for work so Mr Cansu said he called his boss, Mr Crowley.
The jury of eight men and four women have been told they will hear evidence Ms Patterson suffered eight stab wounds in the attack and the wounds suffered by Kedik were self inflicted.
Mr O’Kelly said when gardaí interviewed Kedik he accepted he caused Ms Patterson’s injuries but he said he had not planned to kill her.
Three blood-stained knives were also found in the apartment, the court heard.
“It’s clear what happened here was a broken down relationship, an access visit and a row which broke out and Rose Patterson was severely injured at the hands of Hadim Kedik,” Mr O’Kelly said.
Kedik is represented by, Mr Blaise O’Carroll SC.
The trial before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy is expected to run into next week.
