Mason Lee inquest: Doctor says toddler had ‘worst injuries he had ever seen’

Toddler who died a slow and painful death at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend had the WORST injuries a doctor had ever seen after the child was subjected to disgusting abuse

• Toddler Mason Lee died at 21 months after being subjected to abuse
• Doctor said Mason had severe skin condition, broken leg and a nasty infection
• Mason’s mother and her boyfriend were found guilty of causing his death 

By Australian Associated Press

Published: 19:37 GMT, 16 March 2020 | Updated: 19:37 GMT, 16 March 2020

Toddler Mason Jet Lee suffered the worst injuries a veteran Queensland doctor had ever seen in the months before he died.

The pediatrician, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, says the 21-month-old had a severe skin condition, a fractured leg, an anal tear, and a bacterial infection causing his right leg to swell to twice its normal size.

‘He was a very ill little boy,’ the Caboolture doctor with over 40 years’ experience told the Brisbane Coroners Court.

Mason (pictured), who was subjected to neglect and mistreatment in his short life, spent his final hours with blue lips, wrapped in a towel and making grunting noises

Lee (left) sobbed in court as she pleaded guilty to manslaughter and child cruelty. The boy’s stepfather William O’Sullivan (right) was jailed for nine years but will now serve 12

He expressed his serious concerns about Mason’s condition to child safety officers following an appointment in February.

But Mason was allowed to return to the home where he later died after being hit in the abdomen by his mother’s boyfriend, William O’Sullivan, in June 2016.

‘This was a deep loss of the whole of the skin. There were five separate areas, some of them quite big,’ he said referring to the skin condition on Mason’s bottom.

‘I had never seen anything quite so severe.’

He said the deep wounds were likely caused by poor hygiene and care, such as infrequent nappy changes.

The doctor also observed a tear to Mason’s anus during an appointment in April, which he suspected may have been caused by abuse.

When Mason died he had 45 bruises to his body and four anal tears.

The doctor said such severe trauma is likely to have been caused by something large passing from the child’s anus following a bowel movement or ‘insertion of some object from other direction’.

Another Caboolture pediatrician, who also cannot be named, said O’Sullivan’s involvement with Mason concerned her. She was also worried Mason’s anal injuries may have been caused by sexual abuse.

Despite both doctors raising their concerns with child safety officers and the matter being escalated by a Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team in March, Mason’s case wasn’t allocated to an officer before he died.

Lee and O’Sullivan pleaded guilty to his manslaughter, with both failing to get Mason medical help as he died.

The inquest continues on Tuesday.

MASON JET LEE’S EXTENSIVE INJURIES AND ILLNESSES

Cellulitis – likely caused by an insect bite that became infected

Prolapsed anus – likely due to internal pressure from abdominal passage or large, hard stools

Jacquet’s dermatitis – rare form of nappy rash

Fractured leg – caused Mason to limp, likely caused by child’s play

Constipation

Abscess

Mouth ulcers

Perforated duodenum (a segment of the small intestine) – caused death after vomiting, abdominal pain, fever. People who saw him described him as pale, looking unwell and having dark eyes staring blankly

Peritonitis – inflammation of the membrane lining the abdominal wall

Septicemia – allowed faecal matter to fatally contaminate his bloodstream

Fractured coccyx – found in autopsy. Prosecution speculated was caused by kicking

Bruises – caused by fingertips to forehead, jaw, chest and abdomen

Source – AAP 

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