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Alfie Steele: Mum and partner guilty of killing boy in bath Alfie Steele: Mum and partner guilty of killing boy in bath
(32 minutes later)
Alfie had more than 50 injuries on his body when he died, the court heard
A mother and her partner have been convicted of killing her nine-year-old son in the bath after months of abuse.A mother and her partner have been convicted of killing her nine-year-old son in the bath after months of abuse.
Alfie Steele was found unresponsive at his home in Droitwich, Worcestershire, in February 2021.Alfie Steele was found unresponsive at his home in Droitwich, Worcestershire, in February 2021.
Dirk Howell, 41, was found guilty of murdering the young boy and his mother, Carla Scott, was convicted of manslaughter.Dirk Howell, 41, was found guilty of murdering the young boy and his mother, Carla Scott, was convicted of manslaughter.
The jury at Coventry Crown Court found her not guilty of murdering Alfie. Jurors cleared her of Alfie's murder. They were told by the judge they would never have to sit on a jury again.
Jurors deliberated for 10 hours over the case after weeks of hearing horrific details of Alfie's final months. They deliberated for 10 hours over the case after weeks of hearing horrific details of the nine-year-old's final months.
They were told they would never have to sit on a jury again. Alfie was subjected to a cruel discipline regime and had more than 50 injuries when he died.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. Low body temperature
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts. Jurors heard how his punishments included beatings, being forced to stand outside and being dunked head first in cold baths.
The family was known to social services and neighbours had made repeated calls to police to raise concerns about how Alfie was being treated.
A safeguarding review will now explore what more could have been done to save him.
When emergency services arrived at his home on Vashon Drive at about 14:30 GMT on 18 February, nothing could be done to save him.
Although an exact cause of death could not be ascertained, evidence strongly suggested he died after being dunked in a cold bath.
Scott, 35, claimed Alfie had fallen asleep while enjoying a warm bath. However, his injuries and low body temperature - 23C (73F) - indicated a different story.
The trial heard Scott struck up a relationship with Howell in 2019 and quickly his discipline regime escalated during 2020, when the country went into lockdown during the Covid pandemic.
Jurors heard harrowing 999 calls from neighbours who tried to raise the alarm before Alfie eventually died from the brutal regime.
Some of them heard Alfie screaming as he was forced into the cold baths and others reported seeing him standing in the garden at night "like a statue" while being berated by Howell.
He had admitted four counts of child cruelty, but Scott repeatedly maintained her innocence. As well as manslaughter, the jury convicted her of child cruelty.
Alfie's mother was in tears as she was taken down to the cells, but Howell showed no visible emotion.
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