Bedfordshire man guilty of murdering toddler, 2, while her mum 'stood close by and did nothing'

WARNING: Some people may find some of the details in this report distressing.

And the court heard how the pair continued to carry on ‘as normal’ for days after she died, even pushing the toddler’s body around in a buggy to go shopping.

Scott Jeff, aged 24, was convicted of murdering little Isabella Jonas-Wheildon at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday after an eight-week trial.

Her mum, Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell, aged 24, was also on trial but was found not guilty of murder with the judge directing the jury that it was only possible for one of them to be convicted of the offence.

Isabella’s body had been found in a buggy in the bathroom at the pair’s temporary accommodation on Friday, June 30, 2023. But it is believed she had died four days earlier with the pair continuing to take the body out in her pushchair and go to the pub.

CCTV footage showed them joking on a shopping trip just 30 minutes after she had died.

While Gleason-Mitchell was not convicted of murder, she had previously pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of a child – also a homicide offence – and two offences of cruelty to a child.

Jeff had also denied two counts of cruelty to a child but was found guilty of these offences in addition to the murder conviction.

Suffolk Constabulary say while the couple were of no fixed address, Jeff was formerly of Sandy while Gleason-Mitchell was from Biggleswade.

The pair were arrested in the early hours of Saturday, July 1, in Bury St Edmunds having fled Ipswich after police discovered Isabella’s body in the flat where they had been staying.

Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell were both charged with murder on Tuesday, July 4, and made their first court appearance the following day. The pair were later additionally charged with two counts of cruelty to a child after tests found traces of cocaine and cannabis in Isabella’s system.

An initial post-mortem examination held that day was inconclusive. But after expert tests, Isabella’s cause of death was determined to have been bone marrow embolism and skeletal trauma.

She had sustained fractures to both of her wrists and her pelvis – consistent with having been kicked or stamped on – and also had extensive bruising all over her body. Bone marrow from her pelvic injuries entered her bloodstream and lungs, causing the embolism.

The injuries had occurred after Jeff had started a relationship with Gleason-Mitchell, with the pathologist determining that the first significant injury, which was to her wrists, occurred after Monday 12 June, just a month after the pair started a relationship in May.

The court heard that Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell had previously been in a short relationship in 2019, and that Gleason-Mitchell had begun claiming that Jeff may be Isabella’s father – a claim that was later proven to be untrue.

They had left their home in Bedfordshire on Thursday, June 1, and travelled via train to Great Yarmouth. They initially told friends and family they were going on holiday, but later claimed they were fleeing domestic abuse at the hands of a former partner of Gleason-Mitchell’s – a claim she later admitted was false.

They spent the next 11 days staying at different accommodation in Great Yarmouth and also Caister-on-Sea, along the Norfolk coast.

By Monday, June 12 they had run out of money for proper accommodation and bought a tent and camped on the beach at Caister-on-Sea for the next four nights.

On Friday, June 16, police were alerted to their presence on the beach and officers checked on their welfare and supported a move to alternative accommodation. At the same time an employee of a nearby restaurant had secured them some free accommodation at another holiday park nearby. This offer was corroborated by the police and they were transported there later that day.

Over the course of that weekend they were found temporary accommodation in Ipswich, where they arrived on Monday, June 19.

It is believed that Isabella had already sustained broken wrists and some bruising prior to their arrival in Ipswich and she was frequently seen wearing a winter coat during what was a very hot June and large sunglasses to hide injuries.

It was during the next week while at the temporary accommodation in Ipswich that the prosecution attested Isabella had sustained more severe injuries, culminating it what proved to be a fatal assault on Monday, June 26.

Later that evening Isabella began to have difficulty breathing and the pair claimed they attempted to perform CPR on her. Gleason-Mitchell stated at the time they realised she had died, she looked at her watch and it was 11.37pm.

As the week progressed, Gleason-Mitchell was in contact with a friend and told her something bad had happened, before eventually disclosing that Isabella had died and her body was in a buggy in the bathroom of their flat.

Her friend contacted Bedfordshire Police on Friday, June 30 and they in turn contacted Suffolk Police, who immediately began enquiries to locate them. They were quickly tracked down to the temporary accommodation in Ipswich.

The pair weren’t at the flat when police arrived – but fled when they realised officers were at the scene, getting a train to Bury St Edmunds and spending several hours in a pub until closing time.

They were tracked down by 12.40am on July 1 and arrested.

Detective Chief Inspector Craig Powell, the Senior Investigating Officer, said: “The murder of any child is in my opinion the worst crime imaginable. When they are killed at the hands of those who were supposed to protect and care for such a young and innocent life it is somehow even worse.

“Tragically this is exactly what happened to two-year-old Isabella Jonas-Wheildon. Today has seen the delivery of justice for Isabella and her family, with Scott Jeff having been found guilty of her murder and her own mother, Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell, being convicted of causing or allowing her death.

“This poor family have had to endure not only the loss of their precious Isabella, but have then been subjected to hearing the most harrowing details of the final few weeks of her life. These details included the suffering delivered by Scott Jeff whilst her mother Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell stood close by and did nothing to intervene, despite having so much opportunity to have done something to stop it.

“I want to pay my respects and heartfelt thanks to the family of Isabella who have - since the very beginning of this investigation – put their unwavering faith and trust in the Constabulary and my team. The family have remained so dignified and brave, even when faced with detailed evidence at the lengthy trial. This trial and the pain and suffering which it caused was only necessary due to Scott unsuccessfully attempting to deny his guilt.

“Isabella has I know touched the hearts of so many. I recognise how difficult this case has been for the many witnesses and jury members, along with the entire investigation and prosecution team, including Sally Howes KC and Junior Counsel Alex Kettle-Williams. I alongside the family wish to thank them all for delivering justice for Isabella.”

The pair have been remanded in custody pending a sentencing hearing to be held at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, December 13.