A TEENAGER accused of killing her newborn baby was “believed” to be “in denial” about expecting a baby, a court heard.

Paris Mayo, 19, who was 15 when she “suddenly and unexpectedly” gave birth alone in the living room of her Wye Valley family home in March 2019, denies murdering the infant.

Worcester Crown Court has been told that she concealed the birth from her parents and older brother, who didn’t know she was pregnant, and left the baby in a bin bag on the doorstep of her Ross-on-Wye house.

The prosecution allege that Mayo, now of Ruardean, assaulted the boy, causing head injuries, and put cotton wool into his mouth, suffocating him.

Former West Mercia Police officer David Thomas told the trial that Hereford County Hospital consultant paediatrician Dr Tom Dawson “believed Paris had been in denial during her pregnancy”.

Referring to his notebook, Mr Thomas said that during a conversation at the hospital between the consultant and the teenager, she: "Didn't know what family would think. Didn't know what to do, but wanted to hide it from mum. Put it in a bag."

Another entry in the notebook added: "Sounds like she thought she might be pregnant, but was in denial."

Referring to notes of an earlier conversation with Mayo in her hospital bed, Mr Thomas said her half-sister had asked: "Why didn't you tell mum?”, to which she replied: “She's got a lot going on with Dad,” – a reference to the illness of her father, who was having dialysis upstairs at the time of the birth in their Springfield Avenue home and died 10 days later.

Mayo - a pupil at John Kyrle at the time, who later attended Monmouth Comprehensive School – also allegedly said she had told a boy she might be pregnant, the court was told.

Mr Thomas told the court he also spoke alone to the consultant to clarify several points.

“Dr Dawson believed that Paris had been in denial during her pregnancy. Which is why it is not clear whether she knew about it - or not,” he said.

The former detective constable also recounted of Mayo’s explanation to the doctor: "Had baby downstairs, didn't know, it just came out. It came out and banged head.

"Removed (umbilical) cord from neck to see if it would start breathing.

"Baby made no noise, waiting for him to make a noise, but it didn't.

“Was pressing his heart to see if it would help.

"Didn't know what to do. I was reeling. Oozing from mouth, cotton wool in mouth to stop."

She allegedly added: "In back room by kitchen, couldn't feel pulse when unwrapped cord. Crying after and (I) went to bed.”

She told doctors that in the run-up to the birth of the baby - posthumously named Stanley – she had experienced "light periods" and said "all my clothes still fitted”, the jury heard.

Earlier this week, the court heard evidence from her brother George of a text she sent the morning after the birth, which had happened around 9.30pm, asking him to put the bin bag on the doorstep of their Springfield Avenue home into the bin.

Their mother then made the shock discovery of the baby’s body inside.

Jurors have been played the 999 call made immediately afterwards by Mayo’s mother, who can be heard sobbing.

The trial, expected to last six weeks, continues.