A TODDLER died when she was tied up and forced to sleep face down in a "monstrous cage" bed, a court has heard.

Ellie-May Minshull-Coyle was just 19-months-old when she died bound to her bed with tight ligatures across her chest and legs, a jury at Liverpool Crown Court was told.

6 Ellie-May Minshull-Coyle died when she was bound to her bed aged just 19 months, a court heard Credit: Facebook

Mother Lauren Coyle, 19, her boyfriend, Reece Hitchcott, 20, and their lodger, Connor Kirby, 20, all deny manslaughter after the tot died on March 23 last year.

The court heard the night before Ellie-May was pronounced dead, Coyle sent a Snapchat message to a friend saying: "This child is p*****g me of (sic) tonight."

It was alleged the little girl's ankles had been tied together and her sleeping position stopped her breathing properly, which ultimately caused her death.

Coyle previously told police that Hitchcott began to bind her daughter to the bed to "help her settle in a sleep routine" - though she did not approve.

6 Lauren Coyle has denied the manslaughter of her daughter Ellie-May Credit: Lynda Roughley

6 Reece Hitchcott has also denied the charges relating to the death of little Ellie-May Credit: Lynda Roughley

6 Little Ellie-May was forced to sleep in a 'monstrous cage', jurors were told

Then at 6am the next morning Coyle allegedly messaged her father, Sean Coyle, to say her daughter had been crying in the night but she had left her to cry for two hours.

She added: "She's taking the Mick now."

When Mr Coyle arrived at the flat at 9am, he went to the toddler's bedroom and realised there was a "terrible problem".

The court also heard the tot's bed had been pushed against a wall and enclosed on the sides with slats from a cot lashed together with electric flex from a lamp.

6 The court heard Ellie-May Minshull-Coyle died in March last year Credit: youtube.com

6 Liverpool Crown Court heard how 19-month-old Ellie-May Minshull-Coyle died tied up and face down in a 'cage' bed at a house in Preston, Lancs Credit: Getty Images - Getty

Sheets and bedding were also placed over the sides of the "monstrous cage" to prevent her seeing out into her room, which had no light in.

Marks were found on the victim's wrists and ankles, suggesting she had been tied down at the house on Ward Street in Preston.

Ellie-May was not breathing and an ambulance was called but she was pronounced dead soon after at Royal Preston Hospital.

Prosecutor Christopher Tehrani QC told the court: "The prosecution's case is that Ellie-May's death was unnecessary, pointless and wholly avoidable."

MOST READ IN NEWS Latest DOWN TO BUSINESS Chancellor to launch 'furlough replacement' tomorrow as Budget CANCELLED Latest CASES CLIMB UK coronavirus cases rise by 6,178 in 24 hours in the third highest day EVER COP ATTACK Eleven firearm cops injured in horrific ‘acid attack’ during armed drugs raid 'REST IN PEACE & purple sequins' Money for Nothing star EJ Osborne dead at the age of 45 CLUB FURY Footballer who beat girlfriend & forced her to eat paint signs to new club WINTER COMING England may have to ban home visits too as SAGE adviser warns lockdown coming

A post-mortem examination concluded the child's death was caused by "forcible restraint by ligatures in a face-down position complicated by hyperthermia".

The pathologist also concluded that she had been tied to the bed on more than one occasion.

All of the defendants deny manslaughter and allowing the death of the child, one count of child cruelty by "caging" the child in her bed, and another count of child cruelty by restraining her in the bed.

The trial continues.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.