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| Toddler died from blunt force trauma, court hears | Toddler died from blunt force trauma, court hears |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Tavia Da Costa was due to turn two years old later this month | Tavia Da Costa was due to turn two years old later this month |
| A toddler, whose body was found on Sunday, died from blunt force trauma, a court in has heard. | A toddler, whose body was found on Sunday, died from blunt force trauma, a court in has heard. |
| Januaria Sarmento Ximenes, 29, of Windmill Court, Dungannon, appeared before Strabane Magistrates' Court charged with the murder of Tavia Da Costa and cruelty to a child. | |
| Suzi Augusta Jacinta da Costa, 21, from Windmill Court, has been charged with manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person and cruelty to a child under 16. | Suzi Augusta Jacinta da Costa, 21, from Windmill Court, has been charged with manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person and cruelty to a child under 16. |
| Suzanna da Costa, 24, also from Windmill Court, has been charged with causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person and cruelty to a child under 16. | Suzanna da Costa, 24, also from Windmill Court, has been charged with causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person and cruelty to a child under 16. |
| The defendants denied the charges and were remanded in custody. | The defendants denied the charges and were remanded in custody. |
| Covered in bruises | Covered in bruises |
| Tavia Da Costa, who was due to turn two this month, died at a house in Windmill Court in Dungannon on Sunday. | Tavia Da Costa, who was due to turn two this month, died at a house in Windmill Court in Dungannon on Sunday. |
| Police initially said they were treating her death as suspicious. | Police initially said they were treating her death as suspicious. |
| After a post mortem examination was carried out detectives launched the murder inquiry. | After a post mortem examination was carried out detectives launched the murder inquiry. |
| On Thursday, the court in Strabane heard that a post-mortem examination revealed the child's body had been covered in bruises. | On Thursday, the court in Strabane heard that a post-mortem examination revealed the child's body had been covered in bruises. |
| There were also bruises to her head and face and the cause of death was blunt force trauma. | There were also bruises to her head and face and the cause of death was blunt force trauma. |
| There was evidence of the toddler having been shaken, and there were other non-accidental injuries such as grip marks on her arm and a scald burn to her ear. | There was evidence of the toddler having been shaken, and there were other non-accidental injuries such as grip marks on her arm and a scald burn to her ear. |
| Resolve this as a family | Resolve this as a family |
| The court heard that the child's grandmother said she got a call from her daughter to say there was something wrong with Tavia. | The court heard that the child's grandmother said she got a call from her daughter to say there was something wrong with Tavia. |
| She advised taking her to hospital. When the grandmother arrived at the house Tavia was dead with a blanket over her face and appeared to have been dead for some time. | She advised taking her to hospital. When the grandmother arrived at the house Tavia was dead with a blanket over her face and appeared to have been dead for some time. |
| The court heard that Mr Ximenes said they should resolve this as a family. | The court heard that Mr Ximenes said they should resolve this as a family. |
| Screaming hysterically | Screaming hysterically |
| The court was told that Mr Ximenes is the partner of the child's mother, Suzi Augusta Jacinta Da Costa. The third defendant, Suzanna Da Costa, is an aunt of the toddler. | The court was told that Mr Ximenes is the partner of the child's mother, Suzi Augusta Jacinta Da Costa. The third defendant, Suzanna Da Costa, is an aunt of the toddler. |
| All three appeared before the court via videolink from Musgrave police station in Belfast. | |
| Mr Ximenes denied any wrongdoing and said the child had fallen, the court was told. | Mr Ximenes denied any wrongdoing and said the child had fallen, the court was told. |
| It was revealed that police had seen Mr Ximenes in a nightclub on Saturday night and he was said to be angry and aggressive. | It was revealed that police had seen Mr Ximenes in a nightclub on Saturday night and he was said to be angry and aggressive. |
| Another witness told police they heard two women screaming hysterically at the address where Tavia lived between 02:30 and 03:00 BST on Sunday and it was intense and lasted for 10 minutes. | Another witness told police they heard two women screaming hysterically at the address where Tavia lived between 02:30 and 03:00 BST on Sunday and it was intense and lasted for 10 minutes. |
| The prosecution said the screaming is significant and corresponds to the timeframe of Mr Ximenes leaving the nightclub and the infliction of a fatal head injury prior to the child's death. | The prosecution said the screaming is significant and corresponds to the timeframe of Mr Ximenes leaving the nightclub and the infliction of a fatal head injury prior to the child's death. |
| His solicitor said he denied any wrongdoing and the evidence against him was circumstantial. | His solicitor said he denied any wrongdoing and the evidence against him was circumstantial. |
| He said he got home from the nightclub after the screaming episode. | He said he got home from the nightclub after the screaming episode. |
| All three defendants, who deny the charges, were refused bail and remanded in custody until 13 November at Dungannon Magistrates' Court. | All three defendants, who deny the charges, were refused bail and remanded in custody until 13 November at Dungannon Magistrates' Court. |