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Keanu Williams case: Mother guilty of murdering toddler | Keanu Williams case: Mother guilty of murdering toddler |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A mother described by police as a "monster" has been found guilty of murdering her two-year-old son. | |
Keanu Williams died in January 2011 after being found with 37 injuries including a fractured skull and torn abdomen in Ward End, Birmingham. | Keanu Williams died in January 2011 after being found with 37 injuries including a fractured skull and torn abdomen in Ward End, Birmingham. |
Rebecca Shuttleworth, 25, of Cottingham Road, Manchester, was convicted after a five-month trial. | |
Det Ch Insp Caroline Marsh said it was one of the worst cases of child abuse she had seen. | |
Shuttleworth's partner Luke Southerton, of Hagley Road, Birmingham, was cleared of murder but convicted of one count of child cruelty. | |
Shuttleworth, formerly of Hay Mills, Birmingham, was also convicted of four counts of child cruelty. | Shuttleworth, formerly of Hay Mills, Birmingham, was also convicted of four counts of child cruelty. |
The pair, who had both denied the charges, will be sentenced on Tuesday. | The pair, who had both denied the charges, will be sentenced on Tuesday. |
A serious case review has started into the role all agencies that came into contact with Keanu and his family, including social workers and the police, played before his death. | A serious case review has started into the role all agencies that came into contact with Keanu and his family, including social workers and the police, played before his death. |
Police said that Keanu, who was moved around England by his mother, may have "slipped through the net" by not staying in one local authority area for long. | Police said that Keanu, who was moved around England by his mother, may have "slipped through the net" by not staying in one local authority area for long. |
'Horrendous' | |
During the trial, the jury heard Southerton called 999 from his flat at about 19:40 on 9 January and emergency crews arrived to find Keanu, also known as Kiwi, collapsed on a sofa. | During the trial, the jury heard Southerton called 999 from his flat at about 19:40 on 9 January and emergency crews arrived to find Keanu, also known as Kiwi, collapsed on a sofa. |
The toddler was confirmed dead later that day. | The toddler was confirmed dead later that day. |
The trial heard many of the injuries found on his body could have been inflicted up to 48 hours before the emergency call was made. | |
Outside court, Det Ch Insp Caroline Marsh said: "It's extremely difficult to understand how someone could do that to their own child. | Outside court, Det Ch Insp Caroline Marsh said: "It's extremely difficult to understand how someone could do that to their own child. |
"Rebecca Shuttleworth is clearly somebody who is not like a normal member of society. In the past, I have described her as a monster and perhaps I would stand by that." | "Rebecca Shuttleworth is clearly somebody who is not like a normal member of society. In the past, I have described her as a monster and perhaps I would stand by that." |
She added: "I don't like to imagine the kind of death this little boy suffered because it clearly was horrendous. | She added: "I don't like to imagine the kind of death this little boy suffered because it clearly was horrendous. |
"He did suffer terribly at the hands of his mother who should have loved him unconditionally and clearly she did that to him. | |
"This is the worst case of child abuse I have ever seen." | |
At the start of the trial, prosecutor Christopher Hotten QC told the jury Keanu's injuries had not been an "isolated event" but had been the culmination of a long period of ill-treatment. | At the start of the trial, prosecutor Christopher Hotten QC told the jury Keanu's injuries had not been an "isolated event" but had been the culmination of a long period of ill-treatment. |
He said the fact Shuttleworth had not sought help for Keanu "until it was too late" proved she knew his injuries were "incapable of sensible explanation". | He said the fact Shuttleworth had not sought help for Keanu "until it was too late" proved she knew his injuries were "incapable of sensible explanation". |
Family 'torn apart' | Family 'torn apart' |
A post-mortem examination found there had been bruising to the boy's body consistent with him having been struck with an object such as a stick or rod with some force. | A post-mortem examination found there had been bruising to the boy's body consistent with him having been struck with an object such as a stick or rod with some force. |
A fist-sized tear was also found in part of Keanu's abdomen, which had caused substantial bleeding, the court heard. | A fist-sized tear was also found in part of Keanu's abdomen, which had caused substantial bleeding, the court heard. |
In a statement, after the verdicts were announced, Keanu's aunt Angela Shuttleworth, 26, said his death had "torn the family apart" and left a "gaping hole". | In a statement, after the verdicts were announced, Keanu's aunt Angela Shuttleworth, 26, said his death had "torn the family apart" and left a "gaping hole". |
She said: "Since the tragic death of Kiwi, we haven't been able to grieve or say goodbye to him properly. | She said: "Since the tragic death of Kiwi, we haven't been able to grieve or say goodbye to him properly. |
"We hope now this is over we can lay Kiwi to rest and begin to have some closure." | "We hope now this is over we can lay Kiwi to rest and begin to have some closure." |
Police said Keanu had lived in several places in the last six months of his life with his mother, including with his aunt, his grandfather and Southerton. | Police said Keanu had lived in several places in the last six months of his life with his mother, including with his aunt, his grandfather and Southerton. |
Keanu was born in Torbay, and was brought to Birmingham in March 2010 when his mother moved back to the city and started a relationship with Southerton. | |
Police said he had "30 visible burns and injuries to his tiny body" and lived a "chaotic" and seemingly "very nomadic life". | |
Left to suffer | |
Wendy Bounds from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service said Keanu was "ignored" despite evidence his mother "knew how to be a good parent". | |
She said: "Keanu sustained a series of increasingly serious, unexplained or inadequately explained injuries. For much of the time he had been left alone in a room to suffer in pain. | |
"There was no medical attention sought at any point from Friday night [of the weekend he died] until his mother noticed on Sunday afternoon he was not breathing." | |
Both defendants were on bail throughout their trial, which heard evidence from more than 70 witnesses. | Both defendants were on bail throughout their trial, which heard evidence from more than 70 witnesses. |
Shuttleworth was remanded in custody following the verdict, ahead of Tuesday's sentencing, while Southerton was again bailed. | Shuttleworth was remanded in custody following the verdict, ahead of Tuesday's sentencing, while Southerton was again bailed. |