MURDERED BY MUM & DAD ON XMAS DAY
Battered baby’s 130 injuries
AN evil mum and dad face life in jail after beating and burning their baby to death on Christmas Day.
Stephen Boden, 30, and Shannon Marsden, 22, brutally killed 10-month-old Finley Boden just 39 days after he was placed back in their care.
The tot suffered 130 savage injuries, including 71 bruises, 57 fractures and several burns.
Finley’s pelvis had been broken in two places from “kicking or stamping”.
He had two burns on his left hand – one “from a hot, flat surface”, the other likely “from a cigarette lighter”. Finley had collapsed after a cardiac arrest at the filthy home in Old Whittington, Chesterfield, Derbys, early on December 25, 2020.
Faeces were found in his bedroom. He had developed pneumonia, endocarditis – inflammation of the lining of the heart – and sepsis.
Details of the death left Mrs Justice Tipples and jurors in tears at Derby crown court.
The parents were found guilty of murder yesterday.
While visiting Finley’s body in a hospital chapel of rest in January 2021, Marsden said: “His dad’s battered him to death. I didn’t protect him.”
Finley was removed from their care just after his birth in February but was returned following a family court order. He went back home during an eight-week transition despite social workers asking for a six-month period.
Derbyshire County Council has confirmed a serious case review had been launched.
Det Insp Steve Shaw said officers could not have been prepared for the level of abuse they uncovered.
He added Finley’s bones were “crushed and twisted” .
NSPCC chief Sir Peter Wanless said the abuse by the parents was “harrowing and difficult to comprehend”.