Mother charged with killing 2-year-old daughter claims the child had bruises and they will be punished.

Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell and her then boyfriend, Scott Jeff, both 24 years old and without a permanent residence, have been accused of murdering Isabella Wheildon. However, they both deny these allegations. The events leading up to Isabella's death were revealed in court, including a conversation between Chelsea and her friend Joanne Gardner. According to Ms. Gardner, Chelsea expressed fear of calling the police after Isabella's death because she was covered in bruises. Chelsea believed that if they did contact the authorities, they would be held responsible for her death.

Ms. Gardner described Chelsea as a "really nice, down-to-earth girl". The two had met at a temporary housing unit in Sandy, Bedfordshire, and had remained in touch through messaging. At the time, Chelsea was in a relationship with Isabella's father, Thomas Wheildon, and Ms. Gardner had nothing but praise for them as parents. However, in May 2023, Chelsea messaged Ms. Gardner to say that she and Thomas were no longer together. Ms. Gardner recalled Chelsea asking for money on one occasion, saying she had nowhere to stay with Isabella. In another message, Chelsea mentioned being in Great Yarmouth and struggling to find a place to live. She had also mentioned that the council had refused to assist them and that they were not safe to return to Bedfordshire.

In a subsequent conversation, Chelsea revealed to Ms. Gardner that Isabella had passed away. She expressed her worries about contacting the police due to the bruises on Isabella's body. Ms. Gardner recalled Chelsea trying to tell her that Isabella's father was not Thomas, but rather her new boyfriend, Scott, whom Ms. Gardner did not know. Chelsea sent a series of voice notes, one of which mentioned that they could not go to the police because Isabella was covered in bruises. In another message, Chelsea mentioned burying Isabella and hoping for the best. She also asked Ms. Gardner to delete their messages and gave the impression that the police were present.

Ms. Gardner then called social services and reported her concerns. Police arrived at the temporary housing unit at 1:07pm and found the flat empty, with the bathroom door locked. The officers noticed a strong, stale smell and a pushchair covered in blankets pushed into the shower. When they removed the last blanket, they found the face of a young child, who was later identified as Isabella. She was officially declared dead at 1:20pm.

Both Chelsea and Scott deny Isabella's murder. Scott also denies causing or allowing the death of a child and two counts of child cruelty. Chelsea had previously admitted to causing or allowing the death of a child and two counts of child cruelty. During the trial, Ms. Gardner was asked if Chelsea was someone who could be bullied, to which she replied yes. Similarly, when asked about Scott's character, Ms. Gardner admitted she did not know him well. The trial is ongoing.

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