The trial of a woman accused of murdering a two-year-old girl in a flat in Cork nearly three years ago has heard the toddler had ‘devastating injuries’ to ‘barely any part of her body not experiencing some form of trauma.”
Karen Harrington of Lakelands Crescent in Mahon in Cork City has gone on trial after being charged with the murder of baby Santina Cawley in July 2019.
Ms Harrington (37) was in a relationship with the father of the deceased, Michael Cawley, at the time of the alleged offence.
On the first day of the trial, the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork heard an overview of the prosecution’s evidence.
Jurors were told Santina had suffered polytrauma and blunt force trauma, with numerous bruises to her head, chest, abdomen and limbs, injury to her spine and nose and bruising to her mouth . She also suffered a broken rib, a broken skull and a brain injury.
Ms Harrington pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering the young child on July 5, 2019 at 26 Elderwood Park in Boreenmanna Road, south Cork city. She was residing in the apartment at the time of the alleged offence.
Prosecuting attorney Sean Gillane, SC, provided an overview of the state’s case to the jury of seven men and five women this afternoon.
He said Dylan Olney, who lived in an apartment next to where Santina was found in critical condition, would testify that around 4 a.m. on July 5, 2019, he heard screams and banging coming from Miss Harrington’s apartment. .
(Photo: Daragh McSweeney)
“Not only did he hear the child crying, but he could hear the defendant screaming directly at the child, mocking, taunting and terrorizing the child.”
Mr Gillane said the parents of the late Michael Cawley and Bridget O’Donoghue had separated at the time of the alleged offense and Santina was living with her father in Grattan Street in Cork.
The jury heard that Santina and her father were ‘regular visitors’ to Ms Harrington at her address at the time in Elderwood Park in Cork.
Mr Gillane told the court that Santina and her father spent the afternoon of July 4, 2019 shopping in Cork city centre. Mr. Cawley had also dropped off the defendant in town and she was doing her own shopping in town.
Karen Harrington made arrangements to meet a friend at Elderwood Drive in the same apartment complex where she lived. At 8 p.m. on July 4, 2019, Karen and her friend Martina Higgins drove to the Atlantic Pond area of Cork, where they drank and chatted.
At 10 p.m., Michael Cawley drove to Atlantic Pond with Santina in the car. More alcohol was purchased and the adults and Santina returned to the Elderwood complex at Miss Higgins’ apartment. Miss Higgins’ partner Eric Okunala was also present.
The state will claim that as the evening progressed, some sort of argument or disagreement broke out. It is alleged that Mr Cawley wanted one of his cousins to come and stay at Miss Higgins’ flat and there was a disagreement over this.
Mr Gillane said the evidence will be that Michael Cawley and Karen Harrington had a ‘heated exchange’ and Miss Harrington left the gathering at 1.25am on July 5, 2019.
Mr Gillane said a number of neighbors were due to give evidence in which they claimed to have heard shouting and noise.
Mr Cawley stayed in the apartment of Miss Higgins and her partner Eric Okuanala. Santina also stayed. Mr Gillane said that by 3am Mr Okuanala had become “exasperated” and wanted the night to be over. He put an end to the debates and remarks were exchanged.
Mr Gilliane said it was the state’s case that Michael had brought his daughter Santina back to 26 Elderwood Park and Miss Harrington was in the living room. It is claimed he placed Santina on a quilt-style blanket, then realized he had forgotten his phone and returned to the Higgins apartment in an effort to retrieve it. The couple gave her “a little attention” and told her to come back the next day.
The state will allege Mr Cawley left the scene on foot at 3.17am on July 5, 2019 and drove downtown in search of the cousin he had wanted to stay with Miss Higgins. Mr Gillane said Michael Cawley was captured by CCTV at various locations in Cork city center before returning home.
Mr Gillane said Mr Olney called Gardai at 4.31am after being concerned about the child’s cries in the flat. Gardai arrived within twenty minutes and knocked on the door of Miss Harrington’s flat. There was no response and no sign of disturbance so they left.
Mr. Cawley returned to the flat at 5.07am and met Mr. Olney. Mr Gillane said Mr Cawley entered Miss Harrington’s flat in a ‘difficult-to-understand scene’.
The kitchen was a mess and there were traces of blood. Mrs. Harrington was on a couch. Mr Gillane said Michael Cawley ran to check on his daughter. He found Santina naked on a duvet with bruises on her forehead. She was insensitive. The alarm has been given.
Mr Cawley asked his then-partner Karen what had happened, but she left the scene on foot. When guards and paramedics arrived Mr Cawley was in a ‘considerable state of distress’.
Among those who arrived at the scene was Sgt Brian Teehan who is to testify that Santina was hot to the touch but lifeless. A low heartbeat was detected and CPR began. Santina was transferred to hospital where she died at 9:20 a.m. on July 5, 2019.
Mr Gillane said jurors would hear evidence that clumps of hair had been removed from the scene after being ripped from Santina’s head and that one of the child’s earrings was on the floor .
Mr Gillane said jurors would also hear testimony from various neighbors at the Elderwood complex on the night of the alleged offence.
A neighbor will testify that she heard Karen Harrington screaming and what she thought was the sound of glass breaking in the defendant’s apartment.
The woman was so concerned about the situation that she phoned the defendant’s sister shortly before 3.30am. The neighbor will say that at 4:00 a.m. Karen called her to get a light for a cigarette.
Mr Gillane said it is state that Karen Harrington also knocked on her neighbor Mr Olney’s door looking for a light. He told her that he was going to contact Gardaí.
Mr Gillane added that an autopsy performed on the late Santina Cawley by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster revealed she had multiple injuries all over her body.
“There was hardly a part of his body that didn’t show an injury.”
The case will continue tomorrow. It is expected to last up to five weeks and will require the calling of more than 100 witnesses. It is chaired by Judge Michael McGrath.
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