CPR did not cause ‘multiplicity’ of baby’s rib fractures, murder trial jury told

Prosecutors say Laura Langley, 37, squeezed her seven-week-old daughter Edith to death at their home in Blackpool.

Laura Langley is being tried at Preston Crown Court (Alamy/PA)

Efforts to revive a baby girl did not cause her “multiplicity” of rib fractures, a murder trial jury has been told.

Prosecutors say Laura Langley, 37, inflicted “terrible injuries” as she squeezed her seven-week-old daughter Edith to death at their home in Blackpool, Lancashire, in November 2020.

Edith is said to have suffered 30 rib fractures – to the front, back and side – between one and four hours before her death.

Three older cracked ribs said to have happened days earlier were also discovered, Preston Crown Court heard.

My opinion is based on the number of rib fractures, the multiplicity ... and the position of the rib fractures, these are not consistent with attempts to resuscitate baby Edith Langley

Pathologist Dr Alison Armour

The defendant called 999 at 3.54am on November 20 and began CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) after she told the operator that Edith was not breathing.

Four minutes later, the court heard, paramedics arrived at Belgrave Road, Marton, and took over chest compressions as the youngster was in cardiac arrest.

The attempts to resuscitate Edith continued in vain as she arrived at Blackpool Victoria Hospital at 4.15am but she was pronounced dead at 4.43am.

Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour carried out a post-mortem examination of the infant and gave the cause of death as “compressive chest trauma”.

Giving evidence on Thursday, Dr Armour said the time period of CPR in this case was “not an unusually long time”.

She said, in her 36 years of experience, rib fractures from CPR are “rare”.

Dr Armour added: “If they do occur, they occur at the front of the ribs.”

Timothy Cray KC, prosecuting, asked: “What do you say to the suggestion that Edith’s recent 30 broken ribs were caused by the 45 minutes or so of CPR that was administered to her?”

Dr Armour replied: “My opinion is based on the number of rib fractures, the multiplicity … and the position of the rib fractures, these are not consistent with attempts to resuscitate baby Edith Langley.

“CPR is not the cause of the multiplicity of these rib fractures.”

Dr Armour concluded the injuries were caused by an “excessive compressive or squeezing force applied around the chest”.

She said it required “at least a considerable amount of force”.

Dr Armour said she also identified two sites of internal bruising around the ribs which she said would have happened when Edith’s heart was still beating.

She told the court the bruising was caused by bleeding from the fractured ends of the ribs.

Langley denies murder and child cruelty.