A father is facing trial for the homicide of his son, who passed away in 2021, 14 years after sustaining a serious head injury. Lejunae Wood, a 42-year-old individual from Wuppertal, Germany, made a virtual appearance at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, where he confirmed his identity details.
Wood is accused of the murder of his son, Leajunne Wood, affectionately known as LJ, who suffered significant injuries at the age of four months in December 2007 in Hayes, west London. The court was informed that the adolescent passed away at the age of 14 on December 6, 2021, and a pathologist’s report attributed his death to complications arising from a childhood injury.
A trial date has been scheduled to begin on October 5, 2026, expected to span five weeks. Wood, a German citizen, has been instructed to attend a pre-trial hearing on March 3. Reports from pathologists revealed that LJ’s demise was linked to enduring effects of a severe head injury.
Wood was apprehended at Heathrow Airport on Thursday while en route from Amsterdam to Barbados. Subsequently, he was formally charged with the murder by the Metropolitan Police.