Mother charged with killing son

The jury heard the 999 call that Brandon's mother made

A mother has gone on trial charged with killing her 23-month-old son in Dundee.

Heather Boyd, 23, from Monifieth in Angus, was accused of the culpable homicide of Brandon Lee Muir by failing to get him medical treatment.

Robert Cunningham, also 23, was charged with murdering the toddler, by assaulting him in flats in the city's Balunie Crescent in March last year.

They both denied the charges. The trial, at the High Court in Glasgow, was expected to last four to six weeks.

Not moving

The pair also face a charge of repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating Brandon between October 2007 and March 2008.

This includes an allegation that they used or allowed others to take cannabis and heroin at two flats.

Ms Boyd is accused of assaulting her son at Douglas Family Centre in Dundee on 5 March last year.

Mr Cunningham is also charged with repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating another young boy between October 2007 and March 2008.

The jury in the trial heard the 999 call which Ms Boyd made at about 0400 GMT on 16 March.

She told the call operator that her son was not breathing and had been sick all day.

A man's voice later came on the line shouting that Brandon was not moving, his lips were white and his eyes were also not moving.

The man pleaded for someone to come and help.

Brandon was later taken by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital where he died.

The trial also heard from scenes-of-crime examiner Grant Thomson, who took photographs of Brandon after his death.

Mr Thomson told the court there were "areas of apparent discolouration" on the child's body, including around the hip, lower stomach and the knuckles.

The trial continues.

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