Killer father called his baby son 'It' on 999 call

A father who killed his three-month-old son referred to his baby as "It" during a 999 call.

The couple have never explained either what happened at their Percy Road family home in Seacombe, Wirral, on 24 November 2024 or who had inflicted their son's fatal head injury.

Medics at Alder Hey Children's Hospital found that as well as having a fractured skull, the infant had suffered a "constellation of fractures" to his ribs, collarbone, arm and leg over a course of weeks.

The court was told Miguel had been rushed to hospital and found to have suffered an irreversible brain injury.

He was taken off life support on 29 November and died later that day.

During the couple's trial, prosecutor Peter Wright KC told jurors the number of injuries suggested Miguel had been "systematically physically abused by his parents".

The court heard that in a 999 call Klevi Pirjani said his son had "just stopped breathing" and "curiously" referred to Miguel as "It".

Wright told jurors: "It's a matter for you to consider... whether this was a product of distress on his part, a language barrier, or an unintended indication of his attitude towards Miguel."

After the couple were sentenced, Merseyside Police released the 999 call in which an operator can be heard stating: "Ambulance Service, is the patient breathing?"

Klevi Pirjani answered: "Hiya love, are you alright?

"I've got a three-month young one, just stopped breathing last night, just the colour of the face changed on it."

When the operator clarified: "They've stopped breathing?"

The father responded: "Yeah, it just stopped breathing, no reaction at all."

Body-worn camera footage released by Merseyside Police showed Klevi Pirjani sobbing on the floor of his home as an officer tries to reassure him that his son was "in the best hands".

He is also seen sitting in handcuffs in the back of a police van, having been arrested, as he is read his rights.

Klevi Pirjani tearfully responds: "My baby passed away."

The force also released video showing the moment Nivaldi Pirjani was told by a police officer they believed her son had "come to some form of harm".

She replies: "Where is, what is the injury?"

An officer tells her: "The information we have at the moment is that they have a fractured skull."

Nivaldi Pirjani claimed her husband was violent to her but, during police interviews, did not tell officers that she had seen him attack Miguel.

Jurors heard she was permitted to hold her son's hand when his life support was withdrawn, and was heard to say: "I should have protected you."

Both defendants were convicted in October of murder, causing or allowing the death of a child, and causing grievous bodily harm.

Klevi Pirjani has been jailed for a minimum of 19 years, while Nivalda Pirjani was sentenced to serve at least 15 years.

Det Insp Holly Chance, from Merseyside Police, said the Pirjanis had never explained why such horrendous injuries had been inflicted on a defenceless baby.

"Baby Miguel should have just felt love and affection from his parents but instead, in that short life, he has been inflicted with the worst possible pain that we could ever imagine," she said.