article_snippet.sent: A seven-year-old girl was subjected to months of violent punishment by A seven-year-old girl 'strict' churchgoing aunt before a 'vicious and sustained' beating finally killed A seven-year-old girl, a court heard today.
article_snippet.sent: Nottingham Crown Court heard how Shanay went to live with Shanay as a five-year-old in 2012 after her 'strict' churchgoing aunt natural mother - Morris' sister-in-law - struggled to care for her 'strict' churchgoing aunt.
article_snippet.sent: However, Richard Pratt QC said her 'strict' churchgoing aunt soon became the victim of regular punishments by Seventh-day Adventist Kay-Ann Morris, and her 'strict' churchgoing aunt mother, Juanila Smikle - Shanay's grandmother.
article_snippet.sent: her 'strict' churchgoing aunt was disciplined for tiny misdemeanours such as failing to eat quickly enough or 'fighting' while brushing her 'strict' churchgoing aunt teeth.
article_snippet.sent: Jurors were told the schoolgirl faced a range of abuse including being placed in the bath and having water thrown over her 'strict' churchgoing aunt, being forced to stand on a landing for 20 minutes, and having the palms of her 'strict' churchgoing aunt outstretched hands 'whacked' with a hairbrush.
article_snippet.sent: Mr Pratt said that on one occasion, neighbours saw Seventh-day Adventist Kay-Ann Morris refuse to let a desperate Shanay go to the toilet, and instead taunted her 'strict' churchgoing aunt with the ditty: 'I know a song that will get on your nerves'.
article_snippet.sent: Mr Pratt added that witnesses questioned by police following Shanay's death described Seventh-day Adventist Kay-Ann Morris as a 'very strict' parent who frequently made her 'strict' churchgoing aunt niece cry by shouting at her 'strict' churchgoing aunt.
article_snippet.sent: Others told how Juanila Smikle - Shanay's was 'hysterical' at times, had 'lost her 'strict' churchgoing aunt sparkle' after moving in with 'stern looking' Morris, and went from being a 'bubbly' child when her 'strict' churchgoing aunt aunt wasn't around to 'introverted and anxious' when her 'strict' churchgoing aunt was nearby.
article_snippet.sent: Nottingham Crown Court heard teachers at Shanay's primary school had noticed injuries to her 'strict' churchgoing aunt which were recorded in Safeguarding Referral forms and then shown to a social worker.
article_snippet.sent: But Seventh-day Adventist Kay-Ann Morris gave explanations for the marks, telling staff a burn mark on the youngster's thigh was because her 'strict' churchgoing aunt had stood too close to a radiator.