A mother who blamed another child for injuring her newborn daughter has been convicted of murder. Nicole Blain, 30, lost her temper while supposedly caring for 19-day-old Thea June Wilson at her flat in Greenock, Inverclyde, on July 14, 2023.
Catastrophic Injuries
Thea suffered a series of catastrophic injuries, including three skull fractures, brain damage, and bleeding behind the eyes. These were consistent with the baby being violently shaken and repeatedly hit against a hard floor, wall, or furniture. A pathologist described the injuries as similar to those suffered by a car crash victim.
In a sick cover-up attempt, Blain claimed she woke from a nap to find her daughter stricken on the floor and alleged that another child in the flat had caused the harm. Prosecutors branded these lies as "nonsense." A pathologist effectively ruled out the possibility that a child could have inflicted such fatal injuries.
Trial and Verdict
Blain was found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. Lord Scott told her: "I will be passing a life sentence. I do want more information about you before deciding the length of the punishment part. In the meantime, you will be remanded in custody." Blain, who had been on bail, cried hysterically as she was led handcuffed to the cells. She will return to court next month for sentencing.
Thea was described during the trial as "perfect" when she was born on June 25, 2023. However, after the birth, Blain claimed to be struggling with postnatal depression.
Evidence and Testimony
Thea's paternal grandmother, Laura Wilson, gave evidence. She last saw the baby on July 8, 2023, and described her as "fantastic." On the day of the killing, Blain was supposed to take Thea to Mrs. Wilson's home in Ayrshire. Instead, at around 2 pm, Mrs. Wilson's husband, Alan, took a call from Blain. He told jurors: "I could hear screaming. I had never heard anything like it. It was piercing and extremely loud. I thought it was an older child doing it, but then I realized it was the baby who was screaming."
Mrs. Wilson also spoke with Blain, who claimed she had found Thea on the floor with no clothes on and a bump on her head. Blain blamed another child staying with her. Thea tragically did not recover, and it was concluded she suffered significant non-accidental head trauma. In addition to skull fractures, Thea had rib injuries consistent with her chest being pressed, and neck injuries suggesting forceful movement of her head.
Social worker Stacey Jones testified that Blain told her, "I do not know how I will forgive (another child) for this." Blain testified during her trial, sobbing as she claimed her daughter's death was a tragic accident. She said she took a nap with Thea asleep in her crib and was awoken by a neighbor, initially not seeing the baby on the floor. She denied harming her daughter and said she would never have done so.
Prosecutor Alan Cameron KC argued that any suggestion another child caused the injuries was "just nonsense," stating Blain had hurt the baby before realizing she was in trouble. Blain denied this, insisting, "What happened to Thea was a tragic accident. The only thing to blame was me being asleep."
Background and Sentencing
Blain had previously appeared in a gender reveal video on TikTok, where she was filmed holding a knife and popping a balloon with pink confetti, confirming she was having a girl. In court, she stressed she loved Thea. Sentencing was deferred for reports. After the verdict, Lord Scott told jurors the trial was a "thankfully unusual case involving the murder of a baby."
