Madison Horn ‘suffered a fractured skull’

Forensic scientist Kirsty McTurk told prosecutor Jennifer Bain that she was given this information before she examined the house where two-year-old Madison was injured.

Ms Bain asked: “Were you given background information that Madison Horn had bruising to her face and a fracture to the back of her head, extensive internal injuries including blunt-force trauma to her abdomen and that hair had been pulled out of her head?”

Ms McTurk replied: “That’s correct.”

The High Court in Glasgow also heard the little girl had a potential bite on her left leg.

Ms McTurk was giving evidence at the trial of Kevin Park, 27, who denies murdering Madison on 20 April in Kelty, Fife, by pulling her hair, repeatedly striking her head against a wall, biting her and repeatedly striking her on the head and body.

The court has heard that Park made a 999 call at 6:18pm, saying that Madison’s lips were blue and claiming she had fallen from a bed which had collapsed.

Madison was rushed to hospital but died hours later.

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Ms McTurk said she visited the house on four separate occasions to swab for blood and DNA.

The court heard there were two indentations in the hallway wall near to Madison’s bedroom. One dent was 149 centimetres (4ft 11in) from the floor and the other was slightly higher.

Ms McTurk was asked by Ms Bain: “At one of the indentations, one blonde hair was caught in the cracks of the plaster?” She replied: “Yes.”

The jury heard that the hair was examined and was a match for Madison’s DNA. Ms McTurk said: “The possibility of it being anyone else’s DNA is one in a billion.”

Madison’s DNA was also found on the indentations on the wall. Ms McTurk said: “It is consistent with her exposed skin having been in contact with the wall due to the amount of DNA we found.”

Examination of the hallway wall on either side of the indentations showed no trace of Madison’s DNA. Plaster debris was found on the floor under the indentations.

Madison’s polka-dot pyjamas, which she was wearing that night, were also examined and found to have spots of her blood on them.

Her pyjama bottoms were also tested for saliva to try to find out who had potentially bitten her, but the only match found was to Madison herself.

A white dressing gown was also examined. Ms McTurk said: “Blood-staining was found in the dressing gown on the left chest and down towards the waistband.”

She was asked if she found anything else and replied: “A clump of blonde hairs. The hairs had roots on them and were consistent with having been pulled from the scalp.”

The scientist said the probability the blood and hairs were not Madison’s was one billion to one.

The dressing gown was also examined to see who the wearer was and the main DNA found was that of Park.

Ms McTurk said: “Either this blood and hair was transferred after an assault on her by Kevin Park or he was in contact with her after she had been injured.”

Earlier, DC James Scarborough told the jury about the moment he charged Park with murder.

DC Scarborough said: “He was emotionless. I was quite surprised. It was quite bizarre. He didn’t seem up or down. It didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest.”

The trial continues.

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