THE mother of a five-year-old girl who died after being trapped under water in a freezing river in Worcestershire fled a courtroom in tears as jurors heard details of the child’s injuries.

Kim Smith, aged 37, broke down as Birmingham Crown Court was told her daughter Gabby Grady’s temperature dropped to just 14C after she spent two hours in a submerged car in the river Avon in Evesham.

Christopher Grady – Miss Smith’s former partner and Gabby’s father – is on trial accused of Gabby’s murder and the attempted murder of his son Ryan Grady, who was six at the time of the tragedy on the morning of February 11 last year.

The court has been told that Grady, 42, drove into the river with Ryan and Gabby in the car after a row with Miss Smith about his access to the children.

Grady and Ryan were rescued from the water by police but Gabby spent two hours stuck in the car before she was pulled through the sunroof by specialist divers.

In a statement read to the court by prosecutor Graham Reeds QC, Dr Heather Duncan, a paediatric consultant who treated Gabby, said that despite efforts to revive her when she was recovered from the water she was “pulseless and without signs of life” at the scene.

Dr Duncan said: “On arrival at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Gabrielle was receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

“She was lifeless, asystolic and she was not breathing.”

The doctor said Gabby had signs of fluid on her lungs and was unresponsive to pain.

She said: “In view of Gabrielle’s very low temperature it was impossible to declare death.”

The court was told that Gabby was pronounced dead on February 14 after a scan showed “extensive brain damage” and tests showed she had sustained a severe heart injury.

A pathologist found the cause of her death was a lack of oxygen to the brain, caused by total immersion in cold water.

Grady, of no fixed address, denies both charges and the trial continues.