Mum accused of murdering baby daughter says newborn died in 'tragic accident'

A mum accused of murdering her baby daughter told jurors she died following a “tragic accident”.

Nicole Blain gave evidence on Monday at the High Court in Glasgow and said “never in a million years” would she have deliberately harmed Thea June Wilson.

Blain alleged she had been sleeping at the time the 19-day-old child was hurt and that she had awoke to find her on the floor.

The 30-year-old is accused of killing Thea at a flat in Greenock, Inverclyde on July 14, 2023.

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

Blain was initially questioned by his KC Thomas Ross during her testimony.

She told the court how Thea had been sleeping in her crib when she last saw her that day, before she also went for a nap.

Blain was then awoken that afternoon by a neighbour coming to her door.

The mum said she went on to find Thea on the floor with her blanket and nappy no longer on her.

Mr Ross asked: “Were you trying to rationalise how the baby had gone from one place to another?”

Blain replied: “Yes, I was trying to make sense of it.”

Jurors heard evidence earlier in the trial how Blain had told Thea’s paternal grandmother that another child also in the flat had “done” whatever happened to the baby.

But, Blain said that since she was asleep, she “did not know what happened” exactly to her daughter.

She denied she would try to blame the other child.

Blain went on to state to prosecutor Alan Cameron KC that “never in a million years” would she have harmed Thea.

She told the trial: “When I woke up, I was in a state of shock – that shocked state has stayed with me until today.”

Blain became tearful during the cross-examination by Mr Cameron.

He put to her at one stage: “So what happened to Thea, happened before you woke up?”

She replied: “Yes.”

Mr Cameron said: “During that time, Thea sustained very serious injuries – three separate fractures to the skull, damage to the brain, bleeding to her eyes.”

An emotional Blain replied: “Yes.”

The advocate depute then said: “However that was inflicted, she never woke up.”

Blain agreed.

She told jurors: “I can remember the trauma of finding my daughter. I will never get it out of my head. My baby died in my arms.”

Mr Cameron claimed any suggestion another child could have caused the injuries was “just nonsense”. He alleged Blain had hurt the baby before realising she was in a “lot of trouble”.

Blain denied this, adding: “In my eyes, (the other child) did not kill Thea. What happened to Thea was a tragic accident.

“The only thing to blame was me being asleep and that is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life.”

The trial, before Lord Scott, continues.