A TRAGIC boy murdered by his mum, stepdad and a teen boy suffered 56 injuries before being dumped in a river like flytipped rubbish, a court heard.
Little Logan Mwangi, five, was found with “severe injuries” likened to falling from a great height or a “high velocity” car crash.
As well as trauma to his internal organs and brain, the youngster also had 56 external injuries to his head, face, torso arms and legs from “blunt force trauma”, it was said.
The horrific catalogue of injuries included a fractured shoulder, extensive bleeding to the scalp and back of his head and a significant trauma to the brain.
Jurors heard he was pulled from Ogmore River close to his home in Bridgend, South Wales, after his mum Angharad Williamson, 30, reported him missing.
She is on trial accused of murder and perverting the course of justice alongside Logan’s stepdad John Cole, 39, and a 14-year-old boy.
Cardiff Crown Court heard how “chatty, polite and kind” Logan “would not have stood a chance” against any of the trio – “let alone three of them acting together”.
On July 31, 2021, Logan was allegedly murdered at home before an “elaborate charade” was hatched to cover up his death.
Caroline Rees QC, prosecuting, said: “The prosecution say that Logan died as a result of a brutal and sustained assault upon him which happened inside the home.
“It is the use of forceful violence which caused the catastrophic injuries found at post mortem.”
Cole and the 14-year-old boy were caught on CCTV leaving the house in the early hours of the morning, it was said.
Jurors were told the stepdad has since admitted he was carrying Logan’s dead body in his arms during the chilling footage.
The pair walked along the riverside path to where the youngster’s body was found before they returned home.
They were captured again heading out – this time to allegedly dump Logan’s bloodied pyjama top.
Ms Rees said: “Angharad Williamson must have been awake and up and about, fully aware Logan had died and that his body had been dumped in the river by her partner – disposed of like they were fly-tipping rubbish.”
TRAGIC END
The defendants then “prioritised their own self preservation over all else”, the court was told.
Jurors heard Williamson called 999 at 5.45am and began “hyperventilating” down the phone as she falsely reported her son missing.
She told police she left the back gate open before trying to blame a woman she had a grudge against of “kidnapping” Logan, it was said.
He was tragically discovered wearing mis-matched pyjamas in the river by police a short time later.
The court was told he was already dead when he entered the water and had suffered “catastrophic injuries to internal organs and his brain which had caused his death”.
Two days before Logan’s death, his mum was seen in a “physical struggle” with the 14-year-old boy, it was said.
The court heard Williamson later told police there was an incident where Logan was “seriously assaulted by Cole and the youth who were acting together”.
Ms Rees said this suggested the attack on the youngster “had already started” but Williamson “failed to do anything to help for over a day”.
All three defendants deny murder.
Cole and Williamson also deny causing or allowing the death of a child but Cole admits perverting the course of justice by moving Logan’s body.
Williamson and the boy deny perverting the course of justice.
