A father accused of murdering his baby girl said a bruise on his daughter's face had been caused by her hitting her head on a strap in her car seat, a court has heard.
Christopher Easey, 31, is on trial at Norwich Crown Court, charged with the murder of his daughter, Eleanor.
Paramedics found Eleanor "pale, floppy and lethargic" after they were called to her Morton on the Hill home, near Lenwade at about 8.25pm on December 18, 2019.
She was later transferred to Addenbrooke's in Cambridge where she died on December 20, 2019, as the result of a catastrophic brain injury.
The prosecution asserts Eleanor died as a result of an "inflicted, non-accidental injury" by her father Christopher while her mother, Carly, allowed the death to occur.
On Thursday (January 27) social worker Faye Kimber said she noticed Eleanor had a "bruise on her cheek" which worried her during a visit to the Easey's previous home at Gayton on October 23, 2019.
Mrs Kimber, who had received a referral due to Eleanor's birth being a 'concealed pregnancy', told Sally Howes QC, prosecuting: "I was concerned straight away because she was a non-mobile baby and it's rare for non-mobile babies to get bruises."
She said: "Mr Easey told me the bruise had been caused because Eleanor had been put in a car seat that wasn't appropriate for her.
"He said he had taken her down a bumpy road to his mother-in-law's home and that had caused the injury to her."
Mrs Kimber said he told her the "strap in the car seat" had caused the bruise.
She was told the injury occurred when Eleanor was in the car seat which had been missing an infill section.
But she was told they "wouldn't put Eleanor in that car seat again and felt they had made a mistake".
On that visit Mrs Kimber said Christopher Easey was "more angry than I had seen him."
She said previously she had found him "irritable and complaining" on this occasion she said he "seemed angry".
Christopher Easey, of Ely Road, Little Thetford, Ely, has denied murdering Eleanor and a charge of cruelty to a person under 16.
Carly Easey, 36, of Elizabeth Drive, Chedburgh, has denied causing or allowing the death of a child and a charge of cruelty to a person under 16.
The trial continues.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here