Two grandparents who subjected a toddler to months of cruelty before his death have been found guilty of his murder.
Michael and Kerry Ives were convicted of killing their two-year-old grandson Ethan Ives-Griffiths, who collapsed with a devastating head injury in August 2021. A court heard the little boy had become dangerously dehydrated, was severely underweight, and had visible grip marks on his body by the time he was rushed to hospital.
Ethan’s mother, Shannon Ives, who had been living at the family home in Flintshire, North Wales, was also convicted of causing or allowing his death and of child cruelty.
A campaign of neglect and violence
Jurors at Mold Crown Court were shown harrowing CCTV footage from inside the Ives’ home, revealing how Ethan was carried by his grandfather using just the top of his arm and even appeared to be struck while being strapped into a car seat. The child was later seen unsteady on his feet on a trampoline and visibly weakened, which medical experts said indicated prior brain damage.
The court was told Ethan was treated like a “punchbag,” forced to stand with his hands on his head as punishment and routinely denied food and water. His weight at the time of death—just 10kg—was far below what was expected for a child his age. Prosecutors said Ethan was “just skin and bone” and would have died from dehydration had the fatal injury not occurred first.
Social worker visits dodged in the final days
Ethan had been placed on the child protection register and should have been seen every 10 days. But social workers were repeatedly turned away at the door or told the child was “napping.” On one occasion, a visit was cancelled with the excuse that the family was isolating due to COVID. Another appointment was missed just a day before Ethan collapsed.
Michael Ives admitted to being cruel and neglectful, but denied delivering the fatal blow. He said watching the CCTV in court made him feel “ashamed.” His wife Kerry called 999 on August 14 after Ethan collapsed, but it was revealed she waited 18 minutes before making the call.
Final moments and courtroom verdicts
When questioned, both grandparents insisted Ethan had simply fainted while they were watching TV. Shannon Ives was on the phone upstairs at the time and rushed down when called by her mother. Paramedics arrived to find the toddler unresponsive, and he was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where he died two days later.
Medical examiners concluded that Ethan had suffered a deliberate and violent head injury, likely caused by a blow or shaking in the moments before he lost consciousness. He also had abdominal injuries, grip bruises, and signs of previous trauma.
Michael and Kerry Ives, both originally from Wolverhampton, now face sentencing for one of the most distressing child cruelty cases to come before the courts in recent years.
All three family members are expected to be sentenced later this summer.
