Amy Smith murder trial: Mum says 'I am innocent'

A MUM accused of killing her baby daughter told police: "I have said from day one and I'll carry on saying, I am innocent," a jury has heard.

Michelle Smith told police she did not know how her six week-old daughter had come to have an adult painkiller in her body, but repeatedly told officers she had not given it to her.

Smith, 34, is on trial at Swansea Crown Court accused of murdering her six week-old daughter, Amy, at the then family home in Morriston, by giving her the adult drug dihydrocodeine. She denies the charge, and an alternative charge of causing or allowing her death.

The court heard earlier how two samples, one of blood and another of urine, were taken from Amy and revealed the drug, which is rarely prescribed to children, was present in her body.

Yesterday the jury heard evidence from Smith's two police interviews, including one just hours after she had confessed to a police officer that she was responsible for Amy's death.

Smith, now of Brynawel, Cimla, Neath, was quizzed after making an allegation at Amy's inquest where she said she, along with Amy's father Christopher, had seen medical staff injecting Amy with a "pink liquid" which was not listed on her drugs chart.

In her first police interview, she told officers she thought the drug's presence was due to medical staff.

More than 20 medical witnesses have already given evidence saying they did not give it to her. Doctors from three hospitals have said there is no record of Amy being given the drug.

Smith gave a statement to police on July 1, 2008. before being arrested on September 14, 2010.

A 44-minute interview took place at Swansea Central police station.

Details of the interview were read to the court by Detective Sergeant Justin Evans, who was the lead interviewing officer with another unnamed CID officer.

Here is an account of that interview:

Police: "You asked a question of the coroner in respect of DHC and you witnessed Amy being given something in Cardiff not recorded on the drugs chart. You have made reference to University of Wales Hospital, Cardiff, medication that didn't go on the drugs chart?"

Smith: "Anything I will say, I sort of already have."

Police: "I am asking why in the inquest you questioned these drugs charts from the hospital but you didn't mention it on July 1."

Smith: "I'm not going to add anything."

Detective Sergeant Justin Evans during the interview confirmed with Smith her daughter was happy and well on the morning of November 9 — the day she died.

Smith confirmed Amy was in the living room when health visitor Gillian Davies came at around noon. She said that after Mrs Davies left, she had gone to pick her two other children up from their school before returning home and having lunch.

She took Amy upstairs where she put her to sleep in her cot.

Just before 4pm Smith went upstairs to find Amy was not moving and her lips had turned blue.

Police: "You could see her lips were going blue. You shook her hand and you said: 'Amy sweetheart, Mammy is here.' Her hand and face were cold."

Smith: "Everything I have said in that is what I have said."

Police: "You picked Amy up."

Smith: "It's not going to change"

Police: "You cradled her and Chris was coming in the door."

She was asked during the interview if anyone except her, her husband or their two children had ever looked after Amy.

Smith: "No, only the hospital staff."

Police: "Never left with grandparents or family members of friends or babysitters?"

Smith: "No".

Police: "She was either with you, Chris or both of you."

The officers then asked Smith during the interview to describe the then family home at Parc Avenue, Morriston. She said it was a detached home and had front and back doors.

The officers asked if they were locked while the family were out.

Smith: "I am a very careful parent when it comes to our children. Everything was locked or kept locked."

The officers then asked Smith about medication which was stored in the house.

Police: "They were kept in a box, on a high cupboard in your bedroom? The children wouldn't have been able to get up there?"

Smith: "No".

She said the other children would not have been able to reach the drugs box.

Police: "If you had been prescribed antibiotics"

Smith: interrupts: "Everything I have said isn't going to change."

Police: "Did you always finish the course?"

Smith: "No, but any we didn't finish were either handed back or the empty packets were thrown away and the tablets or fluids were flushed away. Any loving, caring parents would know if you're prescribed something, the child could be thinking they were something else."

The officers asked if she had finished a course of dihydrocodeine tablets she was prescribed in 2006.

Police: "If you hadn't, what would you have done?"

Smith: "They were either handed back to the person I had them from or they were flushed away."

The officers asked her about the co-dydramol tablets Christopher was prescribed on September 19, days before Amy's birth.

Police: "Can you remember how many tablets there were?"

Smith: "No".

Police: "Did he finish the course?"

Smith: "I don't know."

Police: "As far as you know there was no such medication in the house on the day she was born?"

Smith: "No".

Police: "Have you ever administered Amy any medication, even Calpol?"

Smith: "No, you can't even give Calpol to a child under three months old."

Police: "Have you ever administered any medication to Amy?"

Smith: "No"

Police: "Nothing at all, full stop?"

Smith: "No. Only what she had in hospital."

She was asked about Amy's admissions to hospital.

Police: "On both occasions, she had similar symptoms, do you know why that was the case?"

Smith: "No".

Police: "On both occasions she spent at least a couple of days in hospital, where she improved. Do you agree?"

Smith: "No I wouldn't."

She said Amy had continued to have "episodes" during her hospital treatment.

Police: "Dihydrocodeine was found. Have you any idea how it would be present?"

Smith: "No"

Police: "At post mortem and then toxicology tests on Amy's blood, it was found again. Any idea?"

Smith: "No".

Police: "You mentioned previously, medication being administered and not recorded?"

Smith: "Yes"

She told them about the alleged injection of an unknown pink liquid while Amy was in Cardiff.

Police: "Are you suggesting DHC is a fault of someone's, by giving it to Amy and not recording it anywhere?"

Smith: "Yes"

Police: "That's what you believe?"

Smith: "Yes. It was either injected or given to her in some other form. "On three occasions we rushed to A&E and we were told to leave the room because there were 20 to 30 nurses, we couldn't see Amy because there were so many people. It could have been given by accident. I didn't hurt Amy. I did not kill Amy and everything I have said amongst that statement, it isn't going to change."

Police: "There were two separate positive samples, one in October and from the postmortem. Are you going to suggest two separate hospitals on two occasions administered DHC and failed to record it on their records."

She agreed.

Police: "You never gave Amy any medication? Are you aware if anyone else had?"

Smith: "No".

Earlier this week the jury heard how on January 6 Smith went to Neath police station at around 8.30am where she told a police officer: "I need help, I killed her."

She retracted her admission but was re-arrested before a second, 35-minute interview took place.

In that interview, with Detective Sergeant David Butt, Smith said: "I came into the police station because I have been having some problems at home and been feeling quite low lately.

"I had no-one caring about me or to talk to," she said.

She added: "I don't think anybody could understand how I feel."

She said: "I am feeling low but not feeling guilty because I have nothing to feel guilty about because I didn't hurt Amy.

"I have got nothing to feel guilty about, I didn't give Amy dihydrocodeine."

She told officers her grandmother had died on December 11.

The court also heard yesterday from paramedic Gerallt Bowen Davies, who described arriving at the house just before 4pm and finding Amy's father giving her CPR. He said Amy had no pulse and was not breathing. She was transferred to Morriston Hospital but could not be revived. She was pronounced dead at 10.55pm.

The trial will continue on Friday, when Smith is due to give evidence.