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A BUNDABERG toddler died from massive head injuries after being left in the care of two brothers while the youngster's mother and two other women in the family travelled the Queensland coast to prostitute themselves to US sailors, a court heard yesterday. In a twist, the younger of the brothers pleaded guilty to torturing the 18-month-old boy at the start of the second day of their joint trial over the toddler's death at the Supreme Court in Bundaberg yesterday. Zane Kevin Richardson, 18, who was just 14 years old when baby Ethan James Neilsen, died on May 13, 2001, had pleaded not guilty to the charge when the trial began on Monday. His older brother – Kimberly James Richardson, now 23 – continues to plead not guilty to Ethan's manslaughter. While Chief Justice Paul De Jersey promptly sentenced Zane to a 12 months' intensive correction order yesterday, he stressed to the jury that his altered plea should not influence their deliberations concerning Kimberly Richardson. The court was told by Zane Richardson's defence barrister Scott Lynch during the sentencing submissions that the two brothers had been left at a remote, rural Lowmead property to care for Ethan and another girl, 3, while the toddler's mother and two other female members of their family town-hopped to Mackay to prostitute themselves. "They were left not only by the mother of the child, but their sister, 19, and mother to essentially travel to a number of towns up to Mackay to undertake prostitution because the American navy was in town," Mr Lynch said. "Zane was left with no food, no money, no telephone and no motor vehicle and the care of a child and also his sister's child, who was three years old." The court heard that Kimberly Richardson had carried Ethan's badly bruised and lifeless body into the Gin Gin District Hospital just before 2.30pm on the day of his death, telling a nurse the toddler had been injured after falling from a tricycle. Zane Richardson admitted to hitting Ethan several times between May 4 and 14, including blows to his buttocks, stomach, head and face as well as striking him with a steel arrow shaft on the back of his legs either because the boy had refused to eat, listen or to wake him up. Medical experts, including forensic pathologist Rosemary Ashby, said Ethan had died as a result of a severe brain haemorrhage caused by a powerful knock to the head or strong shaking. He was also covered with bruises from head to toe. In sentencing Zane Richardson, Justice De Jersey said it had been "shockingly irresponsible" to leave the toddler in the care of such a young boy, particularly in such squalid conditions and without finance and other resources to care for him. "Nevertheless it gives you absolutely no justification to undertake the torture of a defenceless child," he said. Describing Zane Richardson's actions as "callous and cowardly", Justice De Jersey added it was "absolutely revolting, dreadful conduct". The trial against Kimberly Richardson continues today. The Courier Mail (18-5-2005) Glenis Green |
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