A court trial began in the NSW District Court as Cecil Patrick Kennedy, the accused killer, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter in relation to the tragic death of young Jordan Thompson.
The 50-year-old was arrested in September 2021, more than six years after the incident occurred in the Hunter Valley region.
The heartbreaking incident took place on March 19, 2005, when Jordan's mother, Bernice Swales, left him in the care of Kennedy while she ran errands.
Upon her return less than an hour later, she found her 21-month-old son unresponsive and unclothed on a bed.
Frantically, she attempted to resuscitate him before rushing him to Singleton Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
During the trial, Swales revealed that she and Kennedy had been dating for several months, but their relationship took a turn when she discovered he was involved with another woman.
This discovery came shortly after she found out she was pregnant. A few weeks before the tragic incident, Swales stayed overnight at Kennedy's apartment with Jordan, who was feeling unwell.
She noticed his unusual quietness and distress throughout the night and the following morning.
According to police allegations, Kennedy administered one or more tablets of his prescription antidepressant medication to Jordan on the day of his death or the previous night.
He is accused of fatally poisoning the toddler or negligently leaving him unsupervised in the bathtub while he was drugged and unwell. Kennedy claimed that he left Jordan alone in the bathtub for a short time and returned to find him face down in the water.
When Swales arrived home and found her unconscious son, Kennedy falsely claimed that Jordan had fallen in or out of the bath.
However, Swales refuted his statement, tearfully testifying that her son was dry and lying on a dry bed.
She described the distressing moment when she sprinted to the nearby hospital, clutching Jordan to her body and pleading for help.
Prosecutor Kate Nightingale highlighted Kennedy's alleged lies, including the origin of the antidepressants, emphasizing that he was the only person close to Jordan who had been prescribed that specific drug.
Traces of the antidepressant were found in the bathwater, Jordan's diaper, and the vomit on his clothes.
Kennedy's defense barrister, Linda McSpedden, urged the jury to remain impartial, stating that Kennedy vehemently denied providing the drug to Jordan and denied any criminal negligence.
Throughout the emotional testimony of his former girlfriend, Kennedy maintained a blank expression. The trial will continue before Judge William Fitzsimmons SC on the following day.
Meanwhile, in another news, An arrest has been made in the drive-by shooting that claimed the life of a 6-year-old girl. See detailed story here
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