Ethan Ives-Griffiths: Grandparents jailed for murder of grandson, 2, who collapsed after fatal head injury

Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, were convicted at Mold Crown Court of murdering young Ethan Ives-Griffiths and of cruelty to a child under 16. Their daughter, 28-year-old Shannon Ives, was found guilty of causing or allowing her son’s death and of child cruelty.

Ethan collapsed at the family’s home in Garden City, Flintshire, North Wales, on August 14, 2021, and died two days later at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. The toddler weighed just 10kg and was so dehydrated that experts said he would have died within days even without the fatal head injury.

CCTV footage played in court showed Michael carrying Ethan by the upper arm “as though Ethan was just a bag of rubbish to be slung out”, according to prosecutor Caroline Rees KC. In a separate clip, he appeared to punch the toddler while putting him into a car seat.

Jurors were visibly distressed during the five-and-a-half week trial. After their verdict, Ethan’s father, Will Griffiths, said outside court: “He will be remembered for the smiley, outgoing, loving child that he was. He can now rest in peace, knowing that justice has been served.”

Ethan had been placed on the child protection register and was supposed to be seen by social services every 10 days. However, when social worker Michael Cornish visited on August 5, Shannon Ives told him at the doorstep that Ethan was sleeping. Later attempts to see the child went unanswered, and a scheduled health visitor appointment on August 13 was cancelled.

The court heard harrowing details of Ethan’s mistreatment, including being forced to stand with his hands on his head as punishment and being targeted for physical abuse. When shown disturbing footage of his actions in court, Michael Ives admitted: “I feel ashamed,” and acknowledged cruelty and neglect—but denied other forms of abuse.

Medical evidence confirmed Ethan died from a deliberate head injury, likely a blow or shaking, inflicted shortly before he collapsed. Additional abdominal trauma, grip marks on his face and legs, and overall signs of neglect were also present.

Detective Superintendent Chris Bell said: “Ethan was casually and brutally assaulted. It is beyond comprehension how anybody could treat a human being like that, let alone a defenceless two-year-old who you should be caring for.”

The jury also heard the emergency services were not contacted for 18 minutes after Ethan’s collapse, during which his mother was reportedly upstairs on the phone.

Mr Justice Griffiths told the jury they would be exempt from future service “for the rest of their lives” if they wished, given the “unusually distressing” evidence they had endured.

Michael and Kerry will receive mandatory life sentences. Shannon Ives faces a “substantial” prison term. All three will be sentenced on October 3. A spokesperson for Flintshire County Council said it would co-operate with a multi-agency child practice review led by the North Wales Safeguarding Board.