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A 24-year-old man has been convicted of murdering a two-year-old girl at temporary accommodation in Ipswich, while the child's mother was found guilty of causing or allowing her death. Both were also convicted of child cruelty after tests found traces of cocaine and cannabis in the toddler's system.
Why it matters: Two-year-old Isabella Jonas-Wheildon suffered fatal injuries while in the care of those meant to protect her, with a jury unanimously finding Scott Jeff guilty of her murder.
The big picture: Scott Jeff was found guilty at Ipswich Crown Court of murdering Isabella Jonas-Wheildon, who was discovered dead in June 2023. The child's mother, Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell, 24, was convicted of causing or allowing her death and had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of child cruelty.
Key details:
Isabella's body was found on 30 June 2023 at temporary accommodation in Ipswich.
Post-mortem revealed she died from bone marrow embolism and skeletal trauma.
The child sustained fractures to both wrists and pelvis after 12 June, consistent with being kicked or stamped on.
Tests revealed traces of cocaine and cannabis in Isabella's system.
Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell fled to Bury St Edmunds after police discovered Isabella's body.
Both were arrested on 1 July and charged with murder on 4 July.
Gleason-Mitchell's claims that Jeff might be Isabella's father were proven false.
Between the lines: Evidence showed the couple had been moving between temporary accommodations in Norfolk before arriving in Ipswich, with Isabella already showing signs of injury. They initially claimed they were fleeing domestic abuse – a claim Gleason-Mitchell later admitted was false.
What's next: Both defendants have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on 13 December.
Bottom line: The conviction marks the end of an eight-week trial that Detective Chief Inspector Craig Powell called "the worst crime imaginable."
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