Girl, 2, allegedly murdered by mum had ‘burn marks and bruises' on her body (2025)

Morsal Mohammed Naim, 31, denies murder

A two-year-old girl allegedly murdered by her mum had 'burn marks' and 'bruising' across her body, experts have told a jury.

Morsal Mohammed Naim, 31, is accused of shaking Omra Wali Jan, resulting in head injuries. Ms Naim admits child cruelty, but denies murdering her daughter, who died on February 9, 2024, as a result of the injuries she sustained on November 30, 2023.

The child was born in Afghanistan and raised by her father's family. She came to live in the north west in September 2023. She lived with her parents, Ms Naim and Firooz Wali Jan in Levenshulme, jurors have been told.

The court heard that just before 6.40pm on November 20, 2023, emergency services were called to the home by a relative who reported that Omra had 'choked' and 'was not breathing'.

Paramedics found Omra unconscious and in a state of cardiac arrest, the court heard. She was taken to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital after being given adrenalin and resuscitation to restore her heartbeat, the jury has been told.

The infant suffered a 'devastating' brain injury as well as other injuries and rib fractures and life support was withdrawn on February 9 last year, the court heard.

Today (Friday, April 4) jurors heard evidence from forensic expert Mark Kearsley. He told the court he had experience with comparing marks at crime scenes from footwear, tools or marks on skin and that he had been instructed to compare marks found on Omra's body.

Jurors were told a lighter was seized from the house on Buckhurst Road in Levenshulme. Dr Kearsley said he compared against burn marks on the child.

He compared the size and shape of the marks against the lighter and found they were 'indistinguishable', jurors heard.

"There are at least two marks from at least two contacts with the item on the hand," Dr Kearsley told the court. "They look like a capital A and correspond with the area from where the flame emulates. There are two individual marks on the back of the hand."

"So the marks on the right hand correspond with the top of the lighter?," prosecutor John Elvidge KC asked. "Yes," the expert replied

Dr Kearsley spoke of other similar marks to the upper arm and two marks to the back of Omra's neck. He said they had the same 'A' shape.

"This suggests the same items were used to make the same marks," he said.

Forensic pathologist Dr Jamie Robinson told the court that following a post mortem report, he concluded Omra's cause of death was head injuries.

He said he attended the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital days after she had been admitted and found a number of areas of injury on her body.

An image was shown to the court of Omra's forehead, where there appeared to be a yellow bruise and a 'rash-bruise'. Dr Robinson said there was also a small graze to her ear.

On the rest of her body, the pathologist said there was bruising and grazes on her lower abdomen, her left shoulder, right hand, thigh and left knee.

The court was told Ms Naim denies any assault on the child or that she intended to cause her really serious harm.

Ms Naim, of no fixed address, denies murder.

The trial continues.