Evil mum and stepdad sentenced to total of 38 years for killing Kyrell
A COUPLE who killed her twoyear-old son following sickening abuse recorded on a mobile phone were jailed for at least 38 years between them.
Toddler Kyrell Matthews was beaten by Kemar Brown, 28, and his mum Phylesia Shirley, 24, for weeks before he died.
Sadistic Brown was jailed for a minimum term of 25 years after showing the defenceless little boy no mercy and using him as a “punchbag”, the Old Bailey heard.
And evil Shirley, who once worked in admin for Croydon Council’s children’s services, was sentenced to 13 years.
Kyrell would have been sobbing in agony for a month as he was subjected to five separate beatings.
The tot was kicked or punched so hard his liver tore and he eventually bled to death from the 1.5-inch wound.
The court heard a shocking report revealed that “opportunities were missed” by Croydon Council to investigate the toddler’s home life five months before his death.
Void
The boy’s family said: “Kyrell – our family has been robbed of the joys of watching you grow up and seeing what you would have become.You have left a void in our hearts that will never be filled. We carry you in our hearts forever.”
Jurors heard the little lad’s injuries also included 41 rib fractures.
Recordings of beatings were found on Shirley’s phone.
Jurors were told she tried to catch Brown talking to other women and taped the harrowing abuse by mistake.
In one, Kyrell screams in pain as Brown hits him and yells: “Shut up!” In another, he struck the little boy several times before snarling: “You have to ruin the fun.” In a third, the toddler is heard crying as he is beaten by his mother.
Kyrell, described as a “happy, smiley boy”, finally collapsed at his home in Thornton Heath, south London, in October 2019.
Shirley was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter. Judge Mark Lucraft QC said she should feel “utterly ashamed”.
Brown, who has convictions for robbery and assault by battery, was found guilty of murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Kieran said: “It is impossible to understand how someone can brutalise a child in this way.”