TV death baby Kian McMillan's parents 'were drunk'
The parents of a baby from Lancashire who died when a television fell on his head were intoxicated on drink and drugs at the time, a court has heard.
Four-month-old Kian McMillan, from Burnley, suffered a brain injury in the incident on 6 December last year.
Preston Crown Court heard his mother was in no fit state to look after him.
Natalie McMillan, 25, denies manslaughter by gross negligence and child cruelty. Edward Hanratty, 41, denies child cruelty.
The court heard how Ms McMillan, now of Dirkhill Road, Bradford, tried to move the television to plug in a scart lead so she could watch a DVD when it toppled off a cupboard.
It fell on to her son, who was lying on a mat on the floor.
Ms McMillan rang 999 but when the ambulance staff arrived, she had "slurred speech and was staggering".
Kian was taken to hospital but died a day later from "catastrophic" brain injuries.
Ambulance workers said neither of the baby's parents showed any concern or urgency for the baby's condition.
Suzanne Goddard QC, prosecuting, said: "The prosecution case is that Natalie McMillan was not in any fit state to look after a child. She had taken heroin and valium and an amount of alcohol.
"She chose to become intoxicated to the extent that she was not capable of caring for her child in a safe and appropriate manner."
She added: "Her needs were more important than her child.
"The simple step of moving Kian would have saved his life.
"She showed careless indifference to the life of her child that night.
"This was not a tragic accident, every parent's nightmare. This was an entirely preventable death. An accident that should never happened."
Drug tests confirmed Ms McMillan had taken heroin and valium close to the time of the incident and that Mr Hanratty, of Bradford, had used heroin and cocaine in the 24 hours prior.
The court heard a police search of the house found valium tablets in the baby's cot and syringes in the kitchen cupboard.
The trial continues.