A POST mortem report on baby Zayden Veal showed he suffered a series of blows with a blunt instrument to his face and body, causing his death.
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The infant endured a fractured skull and broken ribs shortly before he died.
Dr Jacqueline Lee, who prepared the post mortem, told the Bendigo Magistrates Court on Thursday Zayden suffered at least 25 impacts to his face.
"Once the injuries were sustained the child would have been dead very shortly thereafter," she told the court via videolink.
The post mortem report also revealed Zayden had pre-existing injuries to his ribs.
Dr Lee testified she was unable to determine when the baby suffered the initial fractures, but said the broken ribs sustained on the morning of June 15 were new injuries on top of old injuries.
Zayden's mother Casey Veal said in a police statement she had taken Zayden to see a doctor on June 13 in relation to a cold and conjunctivitis.
There was no reference to any injuries to Zayden’s ribs.
Dr Lee said the injuries on June 15 to the baby's nose, forehead, and cheeks were consistent with the force of repeated blows from a blunt instrument.
The court heard the exact time of death was unknown.
Dr Lee said Zayden may have been already dead when he was discovered by his mother.
She said the degree of force used in the impacts ranged from moderate to severe.
... the child would have been dead very shortly thereafter.
- Dr Jacqueline Lee