Her parents, Joshua Collard and Rebecca Grocott, claimed they did not know how the injuries had occurred and denied causing any harm. However, after a five-week trial at Stafford Crown Court, a jury found both parents guilty of causing or allowing the loss of their child’s life, as well as causing or allowing serious physical harm.
They were also convicted on two counts relating to the ill-treatment, neglect, and abandonment of a child resulting in unnecessary suffering and injury.
Detective Constable Emily Hanlon of Staffordshire Police’s Child Protection and Exploitation Team described the case as a tragic reminder of the importance of protecting vulnerable children.
“This was a truly heartbreaking case in which five-month-old Ava lost her life as a result of the actions of two people who should have protected her,” she said.
Police confirmed that an extensive investigation followed the incident, leading to the arrest of both parents on 25 March 2020. The jury ultimately concluded that the injuries sustained by Ava Mae could not be explained by any accidental cause.
Collard, from Stafford, and Grocott, from Stone, are due to be sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on 27 July.
The case has left many people devastated, with tributes continuing to be paid to the infant whose short life ended under such tragic circumstances.
