Isabella Wheildon murder trial: Mum of Scott Jeff, co-accused with Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell, urged him to ‘turn himself in’ after two-year-old’s death, Ipswich Crown Court hears

The mother of a man accused of murdering a two-year-old girl in Ipswich urged her son to ‘turn himself in’ after her death, a court was told.

The trial of Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell and Scott Jeff, both 24 and of no fixed address, but formerly of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, continues at Ipswich Crown Court.

The couple stand accused of the murder of two-year-old Isabella Wheildon, after her body was discovered at East Villa, a council-run temporary housing unit in Sidegate Lane on June 30, 2023.

Jeff was not present for the hearing.

Today, the jury were shown CCTV footage of the defendants between June 26 and July 1, 2023.

This included a clip of Isabella in a pushchair on June 26, 2023, which Detective Constable Claire Roche from Suffolk Police said was the last time she was seen moving.

Alex Kettle-Williams, prosecuting, said Jeff texted a friend on June 29, where he said: “Haha, you nutter, I just bought an Xbox.”

His friend responded: “Oh nice, lol, what did that cost you?”

Jeff answered: “100 quid, plus I bought games.”

It was during this time that Gleason-Mitchell was in contact with her friend Joanne Gardner, which SuffolkNews previously reported on, where she expressed her fears of going to prison, having told her Isabella died three days prior.

Ms Gardner contacted Bedfordshire Police on the morning of June 30, telling officers that Isabella died in her sleep. Suffolk Police arrived on scene at 11.45am.

Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell were spotted leaving East Villa at 11.18am, having left Isabella’s body in a pushchair in the bathroom, where she would be discovered, covered in bruises, with black eyes and obscured by a blanket.

The pair went into Ipswich town centre where they headed to CeX to buy an Xbox charger, then Cash Exchange, both in Upper Brook Street, before heading to McDonald’s, in Tavern Street, for food.

Paramedics confirmed Isabella’s death at 1.35pm on June 30, 2023.

After leaving the town centre, Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell headed to The Case Is Altered, in Woodbridge Road, for drinks, with CCTV capturing them entering at 2.22pm.

It was there that Jeff made the following Google searches on his phone: ‘dead in Ipswich', 'first trains', 'taxis in Ipswich', 'trains from Ipswich', 'CeX', 'Cash Converters', 'trains Ipswich to Southend in Sea’.

The pair left the pub shortly after 4.20pm, taking a taxi to Ipswich rail station.

They then boarded a train to Bury St Edmunds, arriving at The Corn Exchange Wetherspoons at 6.30pm, where they would spend the next six hours.

While there, Jeff had a text exchange with his mum, where she urged him to turn himself in.

She said: “I love you, just go turn yourself in, please.”

Jeff responded: “I can't mum, not until I know they ain't gonna blame me for her death. It’s hard enough to lose a baby girl without them blaming us for it.

“I had such a strong bond with her. I can’t cope with her passing away. Okay, I should have, but I got scared.”

His mum said: “I know. You should have rang me then.”

Jeff said: “I know, but you would have told me to hand myself. I didn't kill my baby but they can prove I did. My handprint will be all over her as I had to dress her and shower her.”

His mother tried to reassure him she would have told him to phone paramedics.

Jeff added: “I won't have anything on me then, but I'd rather check her myself before handing myself in.

“I love and miss you all and will speak to you when I can.”

The jury were shown photos, taken on Jeff’s phone, of Gleason-Mitchell smiling and drinking at The Corn Exchange.

The pair left at 12.28am on July 1, 2023. Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell were arrested later that morning in Mustow Street.

Between them, the pair were accused of eight offences, with each charged with one count of murder, one of causing or allowing the death of a child, one of cruelty to a child under 16 in relation to cocaine plus one of cruelty to a child under 16 with relation to cannabis.

Gleason-Mitchell pleaded not guilty to murder, but admitted all other charges. Jeff pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The prosecution believes Isabella died on June 26, 2023.

Isabella’s cause of death was certified as a bone marrow embolism caused by skeletal trauma.

Sally Howes KC, prosecuting, attributed this to physical abuse, namely kicking or stamping, by Jeff, in what she called an ‘escalated regime of brutality’.

The trial continues.