The parents of a baby boy who burned and beat him in 'repeated acts of severe violence' have been convicted of his 'savage and brutal' Christmas Day murder.
Stephen Boden, 30, and Shannon Marsden, 22, were convicted after a five-week trial at Derby Crown Court on today (Friday April 14), after the death of Finley Boden in the winter 2020 Covid lockdown – 39 days after he was placed back into their care.
Prosecutor Mary Prior KC described how 10-month-old Finley had suffered a catalogue of “appalling” injuries, including 71 bruises over his body and 57 fractures, many inflicted in the short period before his fatal collapse.
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Only hours after his son’s death, Boden was heard telling Marsden at hospital that he was going to sell Finley’s pushchair on eBay – later telling police he only said this in an effort to lighten the mood.
Finley’s pelvis had been broken in two places, possibly from sustained “kicking or stamping”, and he had two burns on his left hand – one “from a hot, flat surface”, the other probably “from a cigarette lighter flame”.
He fatally collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest at the family’s “cluttered” and filthy terraced home in Holland Road, Old Whittington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire – with faeces later found in the bedroom.
Paramedics were called to the property at 2.33am on Christmas Day and Finley was taken to hospital, but despite medics’ best efforts he was pronounced dead at 3.45am. Later Marsden, while visiting Finley’s body in a hospital chapel of rest on January 11 2021, would say: “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. He also sent a text message two days before the child’s death saying: “I want to bounce him (Finley) off the walls.”
Jurors heard Finley was returned to the couple’s care over eight weeks by a court order, despite social workers asking for a longer transition. A report by the family’s social worker had recommended a six-month transition – three times longer than the eight-week period which was ordered at a court hearing concerning the child’s care, in October 2020.
Child protection concerns meant Finley was removed from his parents’ care shortly after being born in February 2020.
Boden, of Romford Way in Barrow Hill, Chesterfield, and Marsden, of no fixed address, had denied murder, two counts of child cruelty, and two charges of causing or allowing the death of a child. The pair, who did not react as the verdicts were read, will be sentenced at a later date.
A Derbyshire County Council spokeswoman said: “Finley’s death is a tragedy and our heartfelt sympathy goes out to everyone who knew and loved him. Following the conviction of Finley’s parents for murder we continue to be fully engaged with the Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership which has commissioned a local child safeguarding practice 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 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.
“Once the review process has concluded we will be in a position to communicate more fully about this case.”
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