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Parents Deny Killing Malnourished Toddler
10 Sep
Summary
- Parents pleaded not guilty to causing their son's death.
- The one-year-old died from severe malnutrition and hypoglycemia.
- A trial is scheduled to begin in April 2027.
Adam Johnson, 26, and Kylie Smith, 25, have entered not guilty pleas to charges of causing or allowing the death of their one-year-old son, Maero Johnson. The infant was discovered in a severely malnourished state and tragically died in hospital in August 2023.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that a post-mortem examination revealed Maero's death was due to ketotic hypoglycaemia and severe malnutrition. The parents, both from St Helens, Merseyside, also denied two counts of cruelty to a person under 16. Adam Johnson admitted to possessing cannabis.
A trial is expected to span four to six weeks and is scheduled to begin on 9 April 2027. In the interim, Johnson and Smith have been granted unconditional bail ahead of a pre-trial hearing on 5 April next year.
