Mum accused of murdering baby daughter claims she found her on floor with head injury, court hears

A mum, who is accused of murdering her baby daughter, claimed she found her lying on the floor with a head injury.

Nicole Blain allegedly then said another child had “done” whatever had happened to Thea June Wilson.

The 30-year-old is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Blain is accused of killing Thea at a flat in Greenock, Inverclyde, on July 14, 2023.

The child is said to have been almost three weeks old at the time.

Prosecutors state Blain repeatedly shook the baby and inflicted blunt force trauma on her by means unknown.

Blain denies the charge at the trial before Judge Lord Scott.

Thea’s grandmother was the first witness to be called in the case on Wednesday.

The 59-year-old told how her son had been in a relationship with Blain before she fell pregnant.

The witness described the baby as “perfect” when she was born on June 25, 2023.

Jurors were shown a number of texts between the women in the aftermath of the birth.

Some appeared to suggest Blain was “struggling” with post-natal depression.

Two other children were also living with Blain at the time.

The child’s grandmother told the trial that the last time she saw her granddaughter was on July 8, 2023.

She said Thea was “fantastic” and that she had no concerns about her.

On the day of the alleged murder, there had been a plan for Blain to take the child to see the baby’s grandmother at her home in Ayrshire.

Around 2pm that afternoon, Thea’s grandmother’s husband answered her mobile with a call from Blain.

After a brief chat, he hung up and immediately told his wife that he had never heard a baby “squealing” like what he had heard down the phone.

The child’s grandmother called Blain back.

Prosecutor Alan Cameron put to the witness: “Did you speak to Nicole?”

She replied: “Yes, she said she had found Thea on the floor with no clothes on and had a bump on her head.

“I asked had she phoned an ambulance and she said ‘yes’. I said I was on my way and would meet her at the hospital.”

When the gran arrived in Glasgow, she believed Thea was already away getting examined.

Mr Cameron asked: “Did Nicole say what had happened?”

The woman replied: “She said that it was (one of the other children staying with her) who had done it.”

The advocate depute asked: “Did she say what it was the child had done?”

The witness replied: “No.”

The court heard Blain had allegedly woken up and discovered the baby on the floor.

Mr Cameron asked: “Were you subsequently given news that Thea’s injuries were too severe for her to survive?”

The grandmother replied: “Yes.”

The gran went on to be cross-examined by Blain’s KC Thomas Ross.

Asked about the text messages between the women following the birth, the defence advocate suggested “the circumstances at the time” were “quite difficult”.

The woman agreed.

She was also questioned about her knowledge of the two other children who had also been living with Blain – in particular, the one claimed to have caused whatever occurred to the baby.

Mr Ross stated this youngster could sometimes get “frustrated”, leading to her allegedly biting someone.

The grandmother accepted that this had happened “once” with her.

The grandmother’s husband also gave evidence on Wednesday. He was asked about the call he took from Blain that afternoon.

The 59-year-old said: “I could hear screaming. I had never heard anything like it.

“It was piercing and extremely loud. I thought it was an older child doing it, but then I realised it was the baby who was screaming.

“She (Blain) did mumble, ‘I do not know what to do’. She did not sound right.

“I said ‘hang up the phone and phone an ambulance’.”

The man added he had “never heard something as bad in his life”.

The trial continues.