News

Mom Arrested for 9-Month-Old's Murder Blames Death on His Toddler Brother

NewsPublished Jun 28, 2018
By Genny Glassman
Mom and babyShutterstock

In a gruesome and tragic turn of events, a mom who was arrested in April for murdering her 9-month-old son is now now pointing the finger at her toddler. The woman from Australia has been held since her arrest after doctors determined that her baby boy died from severe brain and spinal injuries. Now, she's claiming that she wasn't the one who killed him. Instead, Tracey Sneddon told the court that it was her 22-month-old son that fatally injured her youngest child. 

According to Sunraysia Daily, paramedics found Sneddon's son, Elijah, unresponsive on October 1 when they arrived at the family's home. He was later flown to Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne with "a fractured skull, bruising to his eyes and face, severe brain swelling and bleeding around the spinal cord." 

Elijah died the next day and prosecutor James Ly said that expert analysis found his injuries to be consistent with shaking and blunt-force trauma. However, Sneddon alleged yesterday in court that her toddler had "been rough with the baby before" and said that the case against her was based purely on circumstantial evidence.

According to Sunraysia Daily, a medical examiner told the court that a toddler would not have the strength or coordination to perform these deadly injuries. The prosecution also noted that on the day of Elijah's incident, his mom had behaved strangely. They alleged that Sneddon refused paramedics when they asked if she wanted to join her son on the ride to the hospital, choosing to instead gather up towels and put laundry in the machine. 

Sunraysia Daily also reported that Sneddon, who had appeared in court through a video link, had called her mother on the day of Elijah's trauma, saying "they're blaming me" before police had even discussed any charges with her.

Sneddon's attorney, Robert Hoyles, told the court that there had been other occasions when her toddler hadn't handled the baby gently. He said that her being in custody "almost flows from the duty she has to protect her child."

"It is not a case where she had time to mull over and come up with some explanation," he explained. 

He also asked that if his client was released on bail, that she be given access to her four surviving children, the report said.

Ultimately, Magistrate Michelle Goodwin refused bail. She explained that no conditions of bail could control the risk that Sneddon would interfere with witnesses or evidence if released. Goodwin also added that Sneddon's case "will proceed with great haste" to the Australian Supreme Court and that there was no significant reason to justify setting bail.

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