A pair of grandparents in Wales have been found guilty of murdering their 2-year-old grandson, who arrived at the hospital with fatal injuries, emaciated and covered in bruises, a U.K. court has heard.
On
Tuesday, July 15
, the
Mold Crown Court
convicted
Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46
, both of
Garden City, Deeside
, of the
murder of Ethan Ives-Griffiths
, who died in
August 2021
, according to
North Wales Police
. Ethan’s mother,
Shannon Ives
, 28, was also found guilty of
causing or allowing his death
and of
child cruelty
.
The court heard that Ethan suffered “
casual brutality
” at the hands of his grandparents, while other children were encouraged to mistreat him as if it were a form of play, prosecutors said.
Ethan’s Final Days: Starvation, Assault, and Neglect
Ethan was taken to the hospital on
August 14, 2021
, in a critical state. Doctors found him
painfully underweight
,
severely dehydrated
, with
cracked lips
, and
40 visible injuries
, including bruises across his body. He was placed on life support but died two days later.
According to the police statement, Ethan was routinely
beaten
,
starved of food and water
, and forced into
stress positions
when he failed to follow his grandfather’s commands. His siblings, in contrast, were not subjected to the same treatment.
“This sustained period of abuse ended with him being murdered by his grandfather,” police said.
A
paediatric neurosurgeon
who examined Ethan’s injuries described them as “catastrophic,” noting that his brain was so swollen he was effectively having a stroke on one side of his brain. The injuries suggested he had been
struck with force
or
violently shaken
.
Home of Abuse: Missed Checks and Delayed Response
Ethan had been living with his grandparents since late June 2021 after his mother, Shannon, separated from his father,
Will Griffiths
, following a domestic dispute. She moved into the grandparents’ home shortly after.
On the night of Ethan’s collapse, Shannon was reportedly
upstairs on the phone
. CCTV footage later showed Michael
dragging the toddler by the arm
and allegedly
punching him
while placing him in a car seat.
Authorities also revealed that Ethan was on the
child protection register
, requiring visits from social workers every 10 days. However, multiple attempts to check on him in early August were
unsuccessful
— a visit on August 5 was missed after Shannon claimed Ethan was napping, and a health visitor appointment on August 13 was
canceled
.
Investigators said it took the grandparents nearly
20 minutes to call for help
after Ethan collapsed, and that Michael and Kerry Ives attempted to hide the truth about what had happened.
Verdict and Aftermath
Detective Superintendent
Chris Bell
said following the verdict:
“Michael, Kerry, and Shannon Ives held positions of responsibility and should have shown Ethan love, care, and protection. Instead, Michael caused distress, pain, and misery before brutally taking his life.”
He added, “Kerry and Shannon both watched and did nothing as the abuse unfolded. Their behavior was beyond comprehension… it is impossible to imagine the terror a two-year-old would feel enduring such horrific abuse from those he should have trusted the most.”
Police noted a “visible deterioration” in Ethan’s appearance over the
seven weeks
he lived with his grandparents, leading up to his death.
Ethan’s father,
Will Griffiths
, shared a heartbreaking statement:
“Unfortunately, I didn’t get much time with Ethan, but the time I did have was precious. He will never be forgotten… He can now rest in peace, knowing that justice has been served.”
Sentencing Set for October
Michael, Kerry, and Shannon Ives will be sentenced at
Mold Crown Court on Friday, October 3
.
The
Crown Prosecution Service
declined to comment further at this time.
