A grandmother whose daughter has been accused of murdering her two-year-old son broke down in tears as she told the jury they had not spoken in three years.
Rachel Fee nee Trelfa, 31, and Nyomi Fee, 28, deny murdering toddler Liam in Fife in March 2014.
The women, who are currently on trial in Scotland, also plead not guilty to a catalogue of allegations of wilfully ill-treating and neglecting two other young boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, over a period of more than two years.
They further deny attempting to defeat the ends of justice following the toddler’s death.
Rachel’s mum Gail Trelfa, 55, from Macclesfield, broke down as she took to the stand at the High Court in Livingston.
She said she had not spoken to her daughter since Easter 2012.
She said she had loved Liam “very dearly”, and added: “I’ve lost my daughter and I’ve lost my grandchild. Thank-you Nyomi.”
Mrs Trelfa said she had previously been “very close” with her daughter, who she said had been a “very good mother”.
Trelfa and Fee are accused of falsely telling others, including police, that one of the other young boys was responsible for Liam’s death.
Trelfa and Fee went on trial on Monday (April 11) and face eight separate charges.
The murder charge alleges that they assaulted Liam at a house in Fife, on various occasions between March 15 and March 22, 2014.
Trelfa and Fee repeatedly inflicted “blunt force trauma to his head and body” causing injuries so severe that he died on March 22 that year, it is claimed.
Between that date and April 30 2014, the two are said to have taken steps to avoid detection, arrest and prosecution, thereby attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
That charge includes an allegation that they falsely told emergency services workers, police and friends and family that one of the young boys they are accused of neglecting was responsible for Liam’s death.
Another charge denied by the women alleges that they assaulted Liam on various occasions between January 2012 and March 2014.
Case continues.
