An inquest in Perth heard on Tuesday that the child had been living in a house not fit for ‘human habitation’ in the weeks leading up to her death.

A five-month-old baby girl who was shaken to death was born severely premature after her mother tried to abort her, an inquest has heard (file picture)

BE was taken to Joondalup Health Campus on May 21 by her parents because she was refusing to eat, the West Australian reported from the inquest.

She was having seizures and was transferred to Perth Children’s Hospital, where she was found to have suffered ‘severe, non-accidental injuries’. She died five days later.

BE was also found to have 16 rib fractures and seven other bone fractures which were inflicted in the 10 days before she was taken to hospital.

Both her parents were initially arrested on suspicion of murder but they were later released without charge. No one has been arrested in relation to BE’s death.

The Coroner’s Court heard that BE’s mother tried to terminate her pregnancy herself at 23 weeks, leading to her premature birth.

Clinical specialist nurse Sara Stephens told the inquest that she unsuccessfully tried to arrange several visits to BE’s parents’ home after the mum and baby were discharged from hospital and a colleague noticed that the little girl had a bruise on her jaw.

Ms Stephens was horrified when she was finally allowed into the property.

‘I have never been in a home with live wires in the ceiling and broken glass in the windows,’ the nurse told the court.

‘I was just so shocked anyone was living there. I couldn’t understand how they were there. This was a family who did have access to resources. None of it made sense to me.’

She added that she suspected the mother was a victim of domestic violence, saying that while the mother did not say she was being physically abused, she did say that she was not allowed to make decisions and had ‘no control over the finances’.

Ms Stephens felt the baby quieter than babies usually are at that age but that she had put on weight and was engaging well with her mum.

Paediatric senior registrar Dr Sheeba Qamer, who assesses BE after her bruised jaw was spotted, said he noticed a scratch on her nostril but said the baby was gaining weight.

The inquest still continues !