A pathologist who conducted a post-mortem on a three-year old child was called to give evidence at a murder trial on Wednesday.
Lewis Oliver Rowland passed away following complications arising from surgery on October 20 2018.
His death occurred three years after he was admitted to Craigavon Area Hospital with serious head injuries which resulted in a permanent and severe disability.
It’s the Crown’s case that the “non-accidental” brain injuries he sustained in November 2015 when he was 13 weeks old played a significant role in his death - which was confirmed by the pathologist.
His father Craig Rowland (29), from Millington Park in Portadown, has been charged with and has denied charges of murder and manslaughter.
The jury has already heard that both Rowland and the deceased child’s mother Laura Graham (31), also of Millington Park in Portadown, have both pleaded guilty to a charge of wilfully neglecting their son.
After taking to the witness stand at Belfast Crown Court, Dr Peter Ingram confirmed that he conducted a post mortem on Lewis’s remains on October 23 2018.
When asked his conclusion, Dr Ingram: “I determined the cause of death was pneumonia following intra-abdominal surgery on a child with a pre-existing brain injury.”
Questioned by a Crown barrister, the pathologist said he has been provided with information about the child’s medical background which included the brain injury sustained in November 2015.
The jury heard that following this, Lewis was taken into foster care, that he couldn’t walk or talk and had to be fed through a nasal tube - but that he could smile at his foster parents.
In July 2018, consideration was given regarding a longer-term feeding tube and in October 2018 the little boy underwent surgery to insert a feeding tube directly into his stomach.
The operation was conducted on October 4 2018 and he had further surgery on October 17 and 19 to re-adjust the feeding tube.
In the early hours of October 20 2018, Lewis developed breathing difficulties and a chest X-Ray indicated he had pneumonia. He passed away later that day, at 1.30pm.
When asked about his report, Dr Ingram read a section to the court which stated that Lewis had “previously suffered a catastrophic brain injury” which resulted in “seizures, global developmental delay, feeding difficulties, movement disorders and as being blind”.
The pathologist’s report also stated that due to the underlying brain injury, Lewis was more susceptible to developing pneumonia following post-surgery than a healthy child.
Dr Ingram concluded “the head injury played a significant role in the development of pneumonia and ultimately his death”.
When he asked by the Crown barrister if the surgical interventions in October 2018 wouldn’t have necessary had it not been for the previous brain trauma, Dr Ingram replied “that’s absolutely correct, yes”.
The pathologist was also questioned by a defence barrister representing Rowland.
When the defence barrister asked if the risk of developing pneumonia or other complications after surgery could happen to anyone, the pathologist replied “yes.”
At hearing