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| Mother cleared over Brandon death | Mother cleared over Brandon death |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A mother accused of killing her 23-month-old son by failing to seek medical help for him has been cleared of the charges against her. | |
| Heather Boyd, 23, had faced charges of culpable homicide and assault following the death of Brandon Muir last March. | Heather Boyd, 23, had faced charges of culpable homicide and assault following the death of Brandon Muir last March. |
| The toddler died at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after suffering a ruptured intestine and four broken ribs. | The toddler died at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after suffering a ruptured intestine and four broken ribs. |
| Ms Boyd's boyfriend Robert Cunningham, 23, remains on trial at the High Court in Glasgow charged with his murder. | Ms Boyd's boyfriend Robert Cunningham, 23, remains on trial at the High Court in Glasgow charged with his murder. |
| Ms Boyd, from Monifieth, near Dundee, was accused of not helping her son following an alleged assault by Mr Cunningham on 15 March. | |
| However, following legal argument, Judge John Morris ruled that she had no case to answer in relation to the death. | |
| Charges that she repeatedly and wilfully ill-treated Brandon were withdrawn, while she was acquitted of assaulting him at the Douglas family centre in Dundee 11 days before he died. | Charges that she repeatedly and wilfully ill-treated Brandon were withdrawn, while she was acquitted of assaulting him at the Douglas family centre in Dundee 11 days before he died. |
| Mr Cunningham, 23, is accused of murder by assaulting Brandon so severely on 15 March last year at two flats in Balunie Crescent that he died the following day in hospital. | Mr Cunningham, 23, is accused of murder by assaulting Brandon so severely on 15 March last year at two flats in Balunie Crescent that he died the following day in hospital. |
| Mr Cunningham also faces a charge of repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating Brandon between October 2007 and March 2008. | Mr Cunningham also faces a charge of repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating Brandon between October 2007 and March 2008. |
| He is also accused of repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating another young boy at properties in Dundee between October 2007 and March 2008. | He is also accused of repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating another young boy at properties in Dundee between October 2007 and March 2008. |
| He denies the charges. | He denies the charges. |