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| Finley Boden: Parents murdered baby placed back into their care | |
| (36 minutes later) | |
| Finley Boden was 10 months old when he was murdered on Christmas Day in 2020 | Finley Boden was 10 months old when he was murdered on Christmas Day in 2020 |
| The parents of a 10-month-old boy have been found guilty of murdering him - 39 days after he was placed back into their care. | |
| Stephen Boden and partner Shannon Marsden killed Finley Boden on Christmas Day in 2020. | Stephen Boden and partner Shannon Marsden killed Finley Boden on Christmas Day in 2020. |
| Finley was found to have suffered 130 "appalling" injuries. | Finley was found to have suffered 130 "appalling" injuries. |
| A jury found the pair, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, guilty of murder following a trial at Derby Crown Court on Friday. | A jury found the pair, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, guilty of murder following a trial at Derby Crown Court on Friday. |
| They will be sentenced on 26 May. | |
| Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden were convicted at Derby Crown Court | Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden were convicted at Derby Crown Court |
| The couple were responsible for what the court heard was the "savage and brutal" murder of their son after burning and beating him in repeated acts of violence. | The couple were responsible for what the court heard was the "savage and brutal" murder of their son after burning and beating him in repeated acts of violence. |
| Finley's injuries included 57 breaks to his bones, 71 bruises and two burns on his left hand - one "from a hot, flat surface", the other probably "from a cigarette lighter flame". | Finley's injuries included 57 breaks to his bones, 71 bruises and two burns on his left hand - one "from a hot, flat surface", the other probably "from a cigarette lighter flame". |
| He collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest at the family's "cluttered" and filthy terraced home in Holland Road, Old Whittington - with faeces later found in the bedroom. | He collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest at the family's "cluttered" and filthy terraced home in Holland Road, Old Whittington - with faeces later found in the bedroom. |
| Paramedics were called there in the early hours of Christmas Day and Finley was taken to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. | Paramedics were called there in the early hours of Christmas Day and Finley was taken to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. |
| Judge Mrs Justice Tipples held back tears as she addressed the jury and thanked them for their "extremely impressive" conduct throughout the trial. | Judge Mrs Justice Tipples held back tears as she addressed the jury and thanked them for their "extremely impressive" conduct throughout the trial. |
| As she spoke, at least four jury members were in tears. | As she spoke, at least four jury members were in tears. |
| Finley, pictured on 30 November 2020, less than four weeks before he was killed | Finley, pictured on 30 November 2020, less than four weeks before he was killed |
| Child protection concerns meant Finley was taken from his parents shortly after he was born in February 2020. | Child protection concerns meant Finley was taken from his parents shortly after he was born in February 2020. |
| But later that year, he was returned to their care through a court order following an eight-week transition, despite social workers asking for a six-month period. | But later that year, he was returned to their care through a court order following an eight-week transition, despite social workers asking for a six-month period. |
| The court heard the pair worked together to keep professionals away from Finley to protect each other and to cover up serious violence. | The court heard the pair worked together to keep professionals away from Finley to protect each other and to cover up serious violence. |
| This included cancelling a health visitor appointment two days before he died and telling social services when they arrived unannounced that Finley may have Covid-19 and refusing to let them in. | This included cancelling a health visitor appointment two days before he died and telling social services when they arrived unannounced that Finley may have Covid-19 and refusing to let them in. |
| A child safeguarding review into the circumstances surrounding Finley's death is currently under way. | A child safeguarding review into the circumstances surrounding Finley's death is currently under way. |
| A spokeswoman for Derbyshire County Council said it would be "fully engaged" with the review. | A spokeswoman for Derbyshire County Council said it would be "fully engaged" with the review. |
| "This is a statutory legal process, formerly referred to as a serious case review, which looks in depth at the role of all agencies following the death of a child," the spokeswoman added. | "This is a statutory legal process, formerly referred to as a serious case review, which looks in depth at the role of all agencies following the death of a child," the spokeswoman added. |
| "The review is conducted independently and it would not be appropriate for us to comment further until that review is complete to ensure we do not pre-empt its findings." | "The review is conducted independently and it would not be appropriate for us to comment further until that review is complete to ensure we do not pre-empt its findings." |
| Police described the conditions Finley was living in as "filthy" | Police described the conditions Finley was living in as "filthy" |
| The court heard both Boden, 30, and Marsden, 22, were regular and heavy users of cannabis, who prioritised getting money to spend on the drug over their son's care. | The court heard both Boden, 30, and Marsden, 22, were regular and heavy users of cannabis, who prioritised getting money to spend on the drug over their son's care. |
| Toxicology tests showed cannabis was found in Finley's blood, indicating that he must have inhaled smoke in the 24 hours before his death, the court was told. | Toxicology tests showed cannabis was found in Finley's blood, indicating that he must have inhaled smoke in the 24 hours before his death, the court was told. |
| The court was shown text messages sent from the couple's shared mobile phone - with jurors told the author of each message was not always clear. | |
| In one message to a contact saved as "Smokey J" at 12:39 GMT on 23 December 2020, the author said the "little one" had "kept me up all night". | |
| The message added: "I want to bounce him off the walls. Haha." | |
| Police documented the state of the home Finley was living in as part of their investigation | |
| After Finley died, Boden was heard telling Marsden at hospital he was going to sell Finley's pushchair "on eBay" - but later told police he only said it "in an effort to lighten the mood". | After Finley died, Boden was heard telling Marsden at hospital he was going to sell Finley's pushchair "on eBay" - but later told police he only said it "in an effort to lighten the mood". |
| Prosecutor Mary Prior KC said Boden later told a relative that Finley had been crying, so "in his words, he 'shook him a little bit'". | Prosecutor Mary Prior KC said Boden later told a relative that Finley had been crying, so "in his words, he 'shook him a little bit'". |
| But she added Marsden, visiting Finley's body in a hospital chapel of rest on 11 January 2021, said: "His dad's battered him to death. I didn't protect him." | But she added Marsden, visiting Finley's body in a hospital chapel of rest on 11 January 2021, said: "His dad's battered him to death. I didn't protect him." |
| Boden had claimed the family dog may have "jumped on" his son, inflicting broken ribs, while a tear to the inside of Finley's mouth - likely caused by a dummy being rammed in - was blamed on the child hitting himself with a rattle. | |
| Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Chesterfield | Chesterfield |