Couple ‘poisoned boy with salt’
Ian and Angela Gay, of Greyfriars Drive, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, are accused of feeding Christian Blewitt up to four teaspoons of salt after he failed to meet their expectations of family life. Christian was in the care of Sandwell Social Services when he and his younger brother and sister were placed with the defendants as prospective parents in November 2002.
Prosecution lawyer Julie Macur QC told a jury sitting at Worcester Crown Court that the boy was admitted to hospital in a critical condition less than two months later, on December 8, unconscious and with a fixed jaw. Ms Macur said tests revealed excess levels of sodium and chlorine in his blood, equivalent to 40g of salt, and that he had suffered a brain haemorrhage.
