THE TRIAL of a Coventry couple over a two-year-old boy’s tragic death from head injuries is due to begin at Warwick Crown Court today (Thursday).
Keith Brown (23) of Swan Lane, Stoke, Coventry, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of toddler Khaleel Hussain in October 2013.
And this week, following an amendment to the indictment, Khaleel’s mother Samina Kauser (25) of Richmond Street, Stoke, Coventry, pleaded not guilty to allowing the death of a child.
It is alleged that Khaleel had died on October 22 ‘as a result of the unlawful act of Keith Brown who was a member of the same household as him and who had frequent contact with him.’
And the charge against Kauser alleges that ‘there having been at the time a significant risk of serious physical harm being caused,’ she ought to have been aware of the risk and failed to take such steps as she could reasonably have been expected to take to protect him.
The toddler had been rushed to University Hospital in Coventry at around lunchtime on October 21, 2013, suffering from a serious head injury.
He was then transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where he tragically died the following day.
It had been expected that Brown and Kauser’s trial would start on Tuesday in front of High Court judge Mr Justice Lindblom.
But for various reasons, including the judge being unable to sit on Wednesday, the case was adjourned until Thursday.
A jury will then be selected and sworn and the case, which it is anticipated will last four weeks, will be opened by prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC.
