Grandad 'tortured' 2-year-old tot by making him 'put hands on head'

Daily Record

9 hours ago

Ethan Ives-Griffiths was allegedly tortured to death by his grandparents after they forced the two-year-old to put his hands on his head for hours as they believed he 'needed to be disciplined'.
A grandfather subjected his two year old grandson to torture, ultimately resulting in the youngster's death, by forcing him to hold his hands on his head for hours as a means of discipline, a court has been informed.
Tragedy struck when little Ethan Ives-Griffiths collapsed at his grandparents' residence in Garden City, Wales, just two days prior to his passing on August 16, 2021. His grandparents, Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, are currently on trial, charged with murder, causing or allowing the death of a child, and child cruelty, all of which they vehemently deny.
The child's mother, Shannon Ives, 28, also denies causing or allowing the death of a child and child cruelty charges. During police questioning, Shannon agreed that her father's alleged treatment of Ethan constituted murder. She recounted that her father justified his actions by claiming Ethan "needs to be disciplined", prompting her to retort: "He's two!".
Furthermore, it is alleged that a month prior to Ethan's death, Michael texted another daughter stating: "Ethan needs to learn the hard way". Following Ethan's collapse at his grandparents' home, he was initially taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital before being transferred to Alder Hey children's hospital on Merseyside, where he tragically passed away on August 16, 2021, reports the Mirror.
On the 14th day of the trial, transcripts of police interviews were presented to the jury of seven women and five men at Mold Crown Court. In one such exchange, detectives inquired whether forcing Ethan to hold his hands on his head constituted torture.
Note: The original content provided is a news report and contains sensitive information about child abuse and death. The rewritten text has been done in a way that maintains the same level of sensitivity and respect for the subject matter.
Shannon responded: "Yeah, it is."
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When questioned by the police as to why she didn't report the incident, she stated: "Because I'm scared of my dad."
Shannon described how her father, Michael, would force Ethan to stand with his legs apart and his hands on his head "for one or two hours". However, she acknowledged that she hadn't personally witnessed the entire two-hour duration.
She claimed that if Ethan lowered his hands, her father would instruct him to put them back on his head. Shannon recalled: "My dad said 'He just needs to learn...he needs to be disciplined'. I said 'He's two!"
Shannon noted that after Ethan's solo visit to his grandparents in June 2021, he experienced significant weight loss, transforming from "chunky to skinny" in a mere three to four weeks.
She mentioned that his clothes became "massive" on him, necessitating the purchase of clothing for toddlers aged 18 to 24 months, as garments for "two to three-year-olds were too big".
When Shannon inquired about Ethan's drastic weight loss, her parents allegedly claimed he was having "three or four meals a day".
Shannon also confided in the police that she refrained from sharing her concerns about Ethan with a social worker due to her fear of her father Michael's potential outburst. She expressed her belief that "mainly my dad" was responsible for Ethan's injuries.
Furthermore, Shannon, a recipient of Universal Credit and Child Benefit, suggested that her parents exploited her for financial gain. "They act like they care but they don't. They just want me there for my money - to use me. They're not family. They don't act like family."
The court listened as evidence was presented that Michael alleged Ethan's behaviour deteriorated when Shannon began spending time at his place.
According to Michael, Ethan would aggressively "ram" food into his mouth and often " choke".
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He maintained he was never harsh with the child, claiming that Ethan's laughter in Shannon's presence infuriated her, leading her to once exclaim "You need to f*** off in care, you little b******," as per Michael's testimony.
During the afternoon session, the jury was privy to the police interviews with Michael Ives. He expressed remorse for lifting Ethan by one arm to put him into his car back in August 2021, admitting it was a " horrible" action.
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Michael continued to recount feeling nauseated by the memory of carrying Ethan from a trampoline during the same period. He acknowledged being there when Ethan experienced two collapses at their Garden City home on August 13 and August 14.
However, upon being questioned by an officer, "How is it that little boy has been killed in your house?" Michael vehemently responded: "I don't know.... 100% on my life I've never touched him."