Police allege Maddilyn-Rose Stokes's father changed story after her death
The father of a Brisbane toddler, who died from untreated burns, gave police multiple stories about the cause of his daughter's injuries, at one point implying her older sister played a role, court documents show.
Shane David Stokes, 30, and Nicole Betty Moore, 23, are charged with torturing and murdering two-year-old Maddilyn-Rose Stokes.
Police at the Northgate townhouse last month, where paramedics found Maddilyn-Rose Stokes unconscious and not breathing.
Photo: 7 News QueenslandShe died in hospital on May 25 after paramedics found her unconscious at her family's Northgate townhouse, several days after she was burnt.
Court and police documents have shown Stokes made varying statements to police about how his daughter was hurt.
He initially said Maddilyn was standing in the bath with both hot and cold water taps running and the plug out when he left the room to go to the toilet on May 22.
Stokes stated she started screaming 30 seconds later but he did not return until three to five minutes after, finding her sitting under the hot water while her five-year-old sister stood beside the bath.
Rather than seek medical help, the couple researched burns online and treated their daughter with aloe vera gel and bandages.
Three days later they phoned emergency services after the toddler stopped breathing.
She was taken to Lady Cilento Children's Hospital where she died that night.
A hospital pediatrician, burns specialist and forensic pathologist found her injuries were not consistent with Stokes's story.
"Further, the injuries are consistent with Maddilyn being held in a standing position under water in excess of 60 degrees celsius for a period in excess of 30 seconds," court documents said, adding she would have survived had her parents earlier sought medical help.
Moore also gave differing statements, initially telling police she had heard Maddilyn scream and ran upstairs to find Stokes holding her out of the bath water.
She later said she had gone upstairs to find Stokes in the children's bedroom after he called her name.
Mobile phone records showed the pair had researched burns treatments on May 20, two days before the date Stokes told police his daughter was injured.
Stokes and Moore later admitted they had lied about when the burns had occurred, fearing they would get into trouble.
Stokes said he had washed Maddilyn in the bath on May 20, a version that was consistent with her injuries but which he later retracted.
During a brief hearing in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday, Magistrate Jason Schubert authorised an order allowing officials to examine Moore for signs of burning or scalding that would either support or discount statements made to police.
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25).
AAP
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