A teenager who murdered her baby moments after she gave birth at her parents' home when she was just 15 has been jailed for 12 years.
Paris Mayo sobbed in the dock as a jury delivered its verdict after more than eight hours of deliberation on Monday, finding her guilty of murdering little Stanley Mayo.
She stood trial and was found guilty on Friday of inflicting complex skull fractures shortly after giving birth in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, in March 2019.
Distressing allegations about Stanley's death were told to the jury, including that Mayo - now 19, but aged 15 at the time - stuffed the infant's mouth with cotton wool, pieces of which were found in his throat.
She cried in the dock after jurors at Worcester Crown court took eight hours and 38 minutes of deliberation to find her guilty of son Stanley's murder.
The court had heard from Mayo who told police she "kissed the baby on the forehead" before she "gently placed him" in a bin bag.
The trial also heard Stanley had been alive for little over two hours, despite Mayo telling police he had never shown signs of life.
Mayo was alleged to have concealed both her pregnancy and the fact of her delivery of baby Stanley, which she did alone and unaided in a sitting room, claiming she was unaware she was even carrying a child when she was just 14.
Jurors heard previously that the morning after the birth, Mayo allegedly sent a text message to her brother, George, which read: “When you go outside, can you put the black bag in the bin, as it’s just full of sick from last night, pls?”
Mr Mayo previously gave evidence that he picked up what turned out to be a blood-stained black plastic bin liner, finding it “unusually heavy”, watched by Mayo’s unsuspecting mother.
Seeing how heavy it was, it was then his mother was prompted to look inside and – finding the dead youngster – immediately dialled 999.
Defence barrister Bernard Richmond today told the court that Mayo's mother was not in the court room as "she couldn't bear it".
Mr Richmond said that Mayo's father was terminally ill and has since died, but prior to being sick, was 'difficult and emotionally cruel' and her "mum was under the most considerable pressure".
Speaking to Mayo during sentencing the judge said: "Astonishingly, despite the pain, you did not cry out.
"Your reaction to what had happened was, in any view surprising."
Jailing her for a minimum of 12 years before she can apply for parole, Mr Justice Garnham said it was a "sad and terrible" case.
He said: "You did nothing to prepare yourself for giving birth. You were frightened and traumatised by this event.
"I have no doubt it was painful and overwhelming for you. It seems you did not cry out, so anxious were you not to disturb your parents upstairs."
The judge added: "As soon as Stanley was born, you decided he could not live and you assaulted him about the head.
"How you did this is not clear, but I suspect you crushed his head, probably beneath your foot. It certainly caused him serious damage, but that assault did not kill Stanley.
"He remained alive. You decided you had to finish Stanley off by stuffing cotton wool balls into his throat.
"As difficult as your circumstances may have been, killing your baby son was a truly dreadful thing to do."
