A couple have reportedly been sentenced to prison by the court, following the gruesome murder of their ten-months-old son.
The culprits, identified as Shannon Marsden and her husband, Stephen Boden were both jailed by Mrs. Justice Tipples for causing the death of their infant son, Finley Boden on Christmas Day in 2020.
Stephen Boden, 30-years-old was sentenced to 29 years imprisonment whiles Shannon Marsden, 22-years-old will be serving 27 years imprisonment.
What happened to Finley Boden?
After being returned to his parents’ care, Finley, just a ten-months-old baby suffered from burns and beatings that left him with 130 different injuries, including numerous bone breaks and fractures which made him passed away just a few weeks later.
His wounds included burns, a shattered pelvis, a fractured thigh, and 71 bruises. Finley also suffered from sepsis and endocarditis, an infection of the heart’s lining.
The judge labeled the couple “persuasive and accomplished liars” who inflicted “unimaginable cruelty” on their kid during punishment.
Finley Boden’s death
During the sentencing, the judge, Mrs. Justice Tipples told the court and the then-accused that the last days of Finley are terrible to describe and once the injuries had been inflicted the infant’s daily experience was “one of considerable pain, distress and suffering.
“You both knew that Finley was very seriously ill and dying… yet you deliberately failed to seek any medical help for him and you made sure that he was not seen by anyone that could have rescued him and taken him away from your care“, she added.
The judge said that Finley’s life would have been saved if the parents had sought for medical treatment for him before leaving him to his untimely demise. She also added that Finley sustained the pain and injuries because he was a subject to the maltreatment and abuse multiple times.
“Marsden and Boden would put Finley at risk of suffering from neglect, physical and emotional harm if they continued using illicit drugs or failed to keep up their good behavior,” a social worker had warned the court.
The Derbyshire County Council’s representative also stated during the court proceeding that “all parties” agreed Finley should “transition” back to his parents’ care, but they requested that this be done over the course of four months and with the requirement of more drug testing.
But at the nearly two-hour-long hearing, a lawyer for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), who was defending Finley, disputed the four-month transition and argued that more frequent drug testing was required.
An NSPCC representative said the abuse suffered by Finley was “appalling and heartbreaking” after the sentence was handed down.
“The death of a child in such brutal circumstances leaves many of us asking questions and we await the Child Safeguarding Practice Review to establish exactly what happened and any ways in which Finley could have been better protected, in order to help prevent future tragedies,” they added.
What happened to Finley Boden’s parents?
Finley’s father, Stephen Boden was said to have sold his pram on eBay after they murdered the baby. The couple were then seen laughing in a taxi.
Boden testified that the pram remark was made to “lighten the mood” and that Finley’s injuries might have resulted from too-hard rocking him.
Additionally, it was said that Marsden was overheard saying, “His dad battered him to death,” while he visited Finley’s remains in a hospital chapel of rest. “I failed to defend him”, Marsxen said.
The jury heard about how the couple hid their abuse from social workers and family members and saw pictures of the couple’s chaotic house, including photos seized by the police revealing cannabis paraphernalia near to expired infant milk.
The use of the class B narcotic was a major issue in the days prior to Finley’s death, and a social worker who dropped by unexpectedly in December 2020 saw one drug exchange. Blood, feces, and saliva were discovered to be stains on Finley’s clothing and bedding.
Source: www.Ghgossip.com
