Parents deny killing 27-day-old daughter

A couple have denied murdering their 27-day-old baby whose ribs
were broken in at least 20 places.

Midwives and health visitors found no cause for concern when they
examined Asha Sabaratnam in the weeks after her birth in July 2003,
the Old Bailey was told.

The day before Asha’s death, her mother, Devika Sabaratnam, 24,
told her GP the child was crying after feeds and medicine was
prescribed.

The next day she told their landlady at their home in Southall,
Greater London, that she had given Asha the medicine, but later
that evening told her the baby had “frozen” and that she did not
know how to save her, Sir Allan Green QC, prosecuting, told the
jury.

The landlady found the father, Kantharupan Muragamoorthy, 27,
holding the lifeless baby and crying.

He admitted he had shaken the baby to “revive her”, saying he had
seen this procedure carried out in his native Sri Lanka.

Sabaratnam, also from Sri Lanka, told police she thought the
ambulance crew had caused the injuries while trying to resuscitate
Asha.
The trial continues.