text: A doctor has told the inquest into the death of a young boy who apparently died from injuries sustained while paddle boarding, that the child had been 'caned or whipped' before he died. Two-year-old Darcy Atkinson was covered in bruises and had traces of the stimulant Ritalin in his system when he died on December 7, 2012. The toddler had been in the care of his mother's boyfriend Adam Taylor when he was rushed to Gosford Hospital by paramedics, before being airlifted to Sydney's Westmead Children's Hospital after throwing up three times and going rigid in the bath. At the second day of a coronial inquest into the toddler's death, Intensive Care Unit clinical consultant Dr Barry Wilkins said it was not possible the head injuries the Darcy suffered came from a paddle board, as the boy's mother Tara Rae-Maxwell had previously claimed. Darcy Atkinson, two, died of brain injuries in December 2012. He was covered in bruises and had traces of the stimulant Ritalin in his system when he died . Dr Wilkins described the injuries the toddler sustained as 'tram-line marks', and said he had only ever seen them inflicted on a child, News Corp reported. Darcy was covered in the lines, usually sustained from being caned or whipped, and had bad bruising around his ears which appeared to be infected, Dr Wilkins said. 'There is no doubt in my mind ... that Darcy had been assaulted physically at some stage in the day before he presented,' he told the court. 'In my opinion this child has been caned or whipped,' Dr Wilkins said, adding he had seen similar marks on a child in a landmark case where the toddler was beaten to death, about 20 years ago. The clinical consultant also noted that he notified the hospital's child protection unit soon after Darcy presented. Darcy's father, who was living in Victoria at the time of his son's death, broke down in the dock as his son's horrific injuries were described, according to News Corp. Earlier in the inquest it was revealed that the toddler was covered in bruises by the time he got to hospital, and traces of the stimulant Ritalin were found in his system. The toddler  was rushed to Gosford Hospital by paramedics before being airlifted to Sydney's Westmead Children's Hospital (pictured) after throwing up three times and going rigid in the bath under his mother's boyfriend Adam Taylor's care . 'We need to call an ambulance because this isn't normal,' Mr Taylor was urged by his flatmate, Nicole Warne, Glebe Coroners Court was told on Monday. The boy, described by his father Peter Atkinson as smart and proud, had earlier been paddle boarding with Mr Taylor, the inquest was told. This is despite his mother Tara Rae-Maxwell claiming her son was 'petrified' of water, News Corp reports. He'd experienced difficulty returning to daycare after a week-long holiday and was instead put in Mr Taylor's care after telling his mother Tara Rae-Maxwell he didn't want to go to school. While on the board, Darcy had fallen back and bumped his head, Mr Taylor is alleged to have written in a text to Ms Rae-Maxwell. Mr Taylor then took Darcy to the home he shared with housemate Ms Warne for a swim. Darcy seemed fine, Ms Warne told the inquest, but he twice vomited while near the pool. Both adults became concerned when he again threw up, this time an alarming chunky-white mixture. They took Darcy to a bathroom and ran a bath to warm the boy but his body became stiff. 'That's when Adam started to panic,' Ms Warne said. The Glebe Coroners Court (pictured) heard that the usually bright and assertive young boy had become lethargic and lost patches of hair in the days before his death . Darcy, she said, was making loud, deep, gargling sounds but couldn't speak. The usually bright and assertive young boy had become lethargic and lost patches of hair in the days before his death, the court heard. When he died he had bruising on his ears, temple and limbs and traces of the stimulant Ritalin in his system. After informing Ms Rae-Maxwell Darcy had bumped his head, Mr Taylor allegedly sent her a photo of the boy. 'Adam sent me pictures all the time of Darcy when he had him,' Ms Rae-Maxwell said. But she repeatedly denied receiving the photo that day and it has never been located by investigators. Deputy State Coroner Hugh Dillon questioned how a mother who posted so many Facebook photos of her son couldn't locate the image. 'I know it sounds ridiculous. I've been through so many phones,' she said. The inquest continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
target: Darcy Atkinson, aged two, died of brain injuries in December 2012 .
  He vomited 3 times and went rigid in bath under care of mother's boyfriend .
  He had bruising on his ears, temple and limbs and traces of the stimulant Ritalin in his system when he died .
  A doctor told an inquest into his death he had been 'caned or whipped'
  He said Darcy has serious bruising around his ears which looked infected .
  His mother said she received a photo and text from her boyfriend the day before he died, saying he had bumped his head while paddle boarding .
  She then denied receiving the photo which investigators  never found .