Constance Marten and Mark Gordon’s baby died at the centre of a “toxic relationship”, a jury at their manslaughter trial was told at The Old Bailey today.
The pair are due back in court on Tuesday as lead prosecutor Tom Little KC continues his closing speech as the crown concludes its case that Marten, 36, and her partner Gordon, 49, were responsible for the death of their daughter Victoria.
The baby died while they were camping on the South Downs in wintry conditions last January.
In a bid to keep their baby after four previous children were taken into care, the couple had gone on the run and evaded police for nearly two months. Following their arrest, Victoria’s decomposed remains were found in a Lidl shopping bag covered with rubbish in a disused allotment shed.
On Monday, Mr Little told a packed court room that baby Victoria was neglected amid her parent’s ‘toxic relationship’.
He added: “She was neglected and was exposed to dangerous conditions. A freezing cold baby girl with just – we say – a single baby grow and one vest.”
The couple deny charges of gross negligence manslaughter of Victoria between 4 January and 27 February last year, charges of perverting the course of justice by concealing the body, along with concealing the birth of a child, child cruelty, and allowing the death of a child.
The trial continues.