Trio accused of baby girl's death appear in court

Wearing a bright red jacket and black skirt, Lauren Coyle, 19, of Collins Road, Bamber Bridge, Preston, spoke only to confirm her details.

She is accused of the manslaughter of 19-month old Ellie May Minshull-Coyle at an address on Ward Street in Lostock Hall on March 23 last year.

In addition she is accused of causing or allowing the death of a child, and two counts of neglecting or ill treating a child between January 1 and March 23 last year.

Relatives and officers from Lancashire Police watched the proceedings at Preston Magistrates' Court from the public gallery.

District Judge Jane Goodwin refused to impose a restriction on publishing the defendant's address after her defence lawyer said she had received a death threat on Facebook following the public release of her details on Wednesday.

In separate hearings, Coyle's co defendants Reece Hitchcott, 19, of no fixed abode, and Connor Kirby, 20, of Octavia Court, Huyton, Liverpool - formerly Windrows, Skelmersdale were formally read the same charges.

Kirby, wearing a navy bubble coat sat with his head between his legs in the dock.

Hitchcott, wearing a black jacket, was temporarily taken from the dock to speak with his lawyer after a disturbance in the public gallery.

Officers were contacted at shortly after 9.30am last year by the ambulance service who were treating the toddler.

She died a short time later at the Royal Preston Hospital and a probe was launched.

The judge granted all three defendants conditional bail.

They will next appear before Preston Crown Court on March 27.