A couple who claimed their son died after being tormented by ghosts in a haunted house has been charged with his murder.
The Mirror reports that the Czech-born pair Tereza Lackova and Marek Holub alleged that tiny Santino Balaz’s injuries were caused by spirits haunting him in their Birmingham flat.
But West Midlands Police said a post-mortem examination showed he had suffered numerous injuries and trauma for weeks before he died.
Now Holub has admitted murder, child neglect and child cruelty.
His girlfriend Lackova – Santino’s half-sister – pleaded guilty to allowing the death of a child and child neglect.
Santino died on New Year’s Day aged just 14 months.
On the afternoon of January 1, police were called by paramedics who responded to a call about a baby not breathing.
Santino was taken to hospital however he was pronounced dead shortly after.
