A DEVASTATED mum told how her "beautiful baby boy" was thrown into a river and KILLED by his dad.

       Zak Bennett-Eko tossed 11-month-old Zakari William Bennett-Eko into the River Irwell in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester in 2019.

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       Emma Blood told how her "beautiful baby boy" was thrown into a river and KILLED by his dad Credit: MEN Media 4

       Zak Bennett-Eko tossed 11-month-old Zakari into a river Credit: MEN Media

       Now, his mum Emma Blood - who was eight-months pregnant with her daughter at the time - told how her ex-partner was a "horrible person" who hit her in the years leading up to the tot's death.

       The dad, now 24, was found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in December 2020.

       An inquest into Zakari's death - which is expected to last three weeks - began at Rochdale Coroner's Court yesterday.

       Senior coroner for Manchester North, Joanne Kearsley, heard how Zakari had been in the water for 45 minutes before being taken to Royal Bolton Hospital where he died.

       Speaking at the hearing, Emma said she was thrilled when the tot was born - weighing a healthy 7lbs 6oz in 2018.

       She said: "He was the most beautiful baby boy. We both fell in love with him. I went home with him the day after giving birth."

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       The inquest heard how the dad had been a cannabis user since the age of 12 and had assaulted his mum as a teenager.

       He suffered from drug-induced psychosis and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and was on prescribed medication.

       But Emma - who he lived with in Radcliffe - described a constant battle to get him to take it between May and September 2019.

       Tragically, on September 11 that year, Bennett-Eko took his little son out in his pram and - in front of two witnesses - threw him into the river.

       Emma and Bennett-Eko had been friends at school, but lost contact with each other until 2017 when they started a relationship.

       Bennett-Eko had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act on two occasions and had been detained at Prestwich Hospital - but Emma never knew.

       She told the hearing: "The relationship was good at first and we spent a lot of time together, although I was aware he suffered from mental illness.

       "He said that he suffered drug-induced psychosis and that he took medication, but that it was under control. I didn't understand what psychosis was, and he said he had ADHD."

       In February 2018, Emma discovered she was pregnant and the couple were housed by homelessness services in Radcliffe.

       She said Bennett-Eko would go to the GP and get his prescription but "he just didn't want to take" the meds.

       Ms Blood said: "He was acting strangely. He was always disappearing and causing problems within the family."

       She told the inquest her partner had been violent to her once.

       Emma said: "We argued about something and he slapped me."

       In 2019, Bennett-Eko started using cannabis again and Emma decided she "didn't want to be with him anymore".

       She added: "It was just too much. He was going around slagging me off to everyone.

       "I didn't like him anymore. He was just a horrible person."

       She spoke of an incident where Bennett-Eko was screaming at her accusing her of cheating on him with a rapper.

       Emma once went with Bennett-Eko to A&E at North Manchester General Hospital when he had become depressed.

       But Bennett-Eko was "advised him to go home and take his medication".

       Just three days later, Zakari was killed.

       Pathologist Charlie Wilson said that the cause of Zakari's death was

       immersion in cold water.

       The inquest continues.

       How you can get help

       Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:

       Always keep your phone nearby. Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine. If you are in danger, call 999. Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”. Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare. If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone. Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.

       If you are a -victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support -service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.

       Women’s Aid provides a live chat service - available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.

       You can also call the freephone 24-hour -National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.

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       Emma said her ex-partner was a "horrible person" Credit: MEN Media 4

       An inquest into Zakari's death - which is expected to last three weeks - began at Rochdale Coroner's Court yesterday Credit: MEN Media