A grandmother convicted of killing her grandson claimed she couldn’t handle the situation due to anxiety in a distressing 999 call. Kerry Ives and her husband, Michael Ives, have been sentenced for the murder of their two-year-old grandson, Ethan Ives-Griffiths, after subjecting him to severe abuse.
Michael Ives received a minimum 23-year prison term for Ethan’s murder, along with a concurrent nine-year sentence for child cruelty. Kerry Ives was sentenced to a minimum of 17 years for the murder and an additional six years for child cruelty, to be served concurrently.
The judge also imposed a 12-year sentence on Ethan’s mother, Shannon Ives, for her role in his death, along with a five-year term for child cruelty. Shannon will serve two-thirds of her sentence behind bars before being released on license.
Ethan tragically passed away two days after suffering a fatal head injury at his grandparents’ residence in Flintshire, North Wales, in August 2021. Medical reports revealed Ethan had sustained severe head injuries, was severely underweight, and covered in bruises, indicating intentional harm, potentially including forceful shaking.
The court heard that Ethan collapsed after sustaining a head injury on August 13. Despite the incident, his family delayed seeking immediate medical attention. Kerry Ives called 999 only after a significant time had passed since the collapse.
During the distressing 999 call, Kerry and Michael Ives misled emergency services about the severity of Ethan’s condition, claiming he appeared normal. Kerry also expressed her inability to handle the situation due to anxiety.
The prosecution highlighted the couple’s efforts to conceal the truth about Ethan’s death and the pattern of neglect and abuse leading to the fatal incident. Shannon Ives, convicted for her role in Ethan’s death, was cited for failing to protect her child from known risks posed by her parents.
CCTV footage presented in court depicted the disturbing actions of the grandparents towards Ethan. The jury was informed that Ethan was taken to hospitals for treatment but tragically succumbed to his injuries, weighing only 10kg at the time of his death with numerous external injuries observed post-mortem.