Baby’s body was partly mummified, court told

THE body of a year-old boy allegedly murdered by his mother was mummified when it was found, a court has been told.

A jury at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday heard that Declan Hainey may have lain dead for up to seven months in his cot at his Paisley home.

Dr John Manlove, an entomologist, was giving evidence at the trial of Kimberley Hainey, 37, who denies murdering her toddler son, concealing his body and pretending that he was still alive to prevent police investigating his death.

Declan’s body was found on 30 March, 2010, by members of Hainey’s family, who immediately contacted the police.

Dr Manlove told advocate depute Andrew Stewart QC that he was called in by Strathclyde Police. He said: “When I examined the interior of the premises it was apparent Declan was lying in his cot in a state of partial mummification.”

He told the jury that in his opinion the body had been there since autumn of 2009.

Hainey is accused of assaulting, willfully ill-treating and neglecting her son over a 19-month period between 1 September, 2008 and 30 March last year.

Hainey denies all the charges.