Mother and father Shannon Marsden and Stephen Boden guilty of murdering baby on Christmas Day
A mother and father have been found guilty of murdering their baby son on Christmas Day in a “savage and brutal” killing.
Cannabis-smoking Stephen Boden, 30, and Shannon Marsden, 22, burnt and beat their baby “in repeated acts of severe violence” in the days before his death in December 2020, during a COVID lockdown.
Both were convicted on Friday after a five-week trial at Derby Crown Court.
Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden had denied the charges
Detectives investigating the death of 10-month-old Finley Boden found the boy’s bones were “crushed and twisted” by his parents’ campaign of abuse.
The trial heard how the infant 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.
Finley’s pelvis had been broken in two places, the court heard, possibly from sustained “kicking or stamping”, while other injuries included a broken shoulder, broken arm, broken shinbone and a thigh bone broken in four places.
The baby had also suffered two burns on his left hand – one “from a hot, flat surface”, the other probably “from a cigarette lighter flame”.
He had also developed pneumonia, endocarditis – inflammation of the lining of the heart – and sepsis.
Finley suffered a cardiac arrest at the family’s “cluttered” and filthy terraced home in Holland Road, Old Whittington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, where faeces were later found in the bedroom.
Finley suffered a cardiac arrest at the family’s squalid terraced home
Paramedics had been called to the address at 2.33am on Christmas Day 2020 and Finley was taken to hospital, but was pronounced dead at 3.45am.
Just hours after his son’s death, Boden was heard telling Marsden in hospital he planned to sell their son’s pushchair on eBay.
Later, Boden would claim to police he only said this in an effort to “lighten the mood”.
Marsden, while visiting Finley’s body in a hospital chapel of rest on 11 January 2021, said: “His dad’s battered him to death. I didn’t protect him.”
Finley’s father ‘battered him to death’
Murder came just weeks after parents got baby back
The infant died in the winter 2020 COVID lockdown – just 39 days after he was placed back into the care of his parents.
Child protection concerns meant he was removed from his parents shortly after being born in February 2020.
Finley was then returned to the couple over a period of eight weeks by a court order, despite Derbyshire social workers asking for a longer six-month transition.
A child safeguarding review into the circumstances surrounding Finley’s death is currently under way.
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 their verdicts were read out in court, will be sentenced at a later date.
The trial judge Mrs Justice Tipples choked back tears as she thanked the jury for its “extremely impressive” conduct through proceedings.
“I would like to thank you for your dedication, commitment and patience in carrying out this extremely important public service,” she said.
“Given the length of this case and the awful nature of the facts you have had to consider, I discharge you from jury service for life.”
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‘As his parents, they should have protected him’
Andrew Baxter, Crown Prosecution Service deputy chief crown prosecutor, said: “The violence these two individuals inflicted and their wilful neglect in covering up his injuries is incomprehensible, as his parents they should have been the ones who protected him from harm, not be the cause of it.
“These defendants sought to have their child returned to their care and then treated him in this appalling manner.
“It was clear that Finley’s injuries were obvious and that he needed help, yet his own parents chose to ignore his needs to protect themselves.”
Lead investigator Detective Inspector Steve Shaw said officers had not been prepared for the level of abuse they uncovered.
He said: “The majority of Finley’s bones were fractured in some way and as the investigation progressed, the evidence from some of the experts around the levels of force that had to be used – Finley’s bones had to be crushed and twisted with quite some force – eliminated any accidental cause of these injuries.”
He added: “Stephen and Shannon made the decision to try and get Finley back. Once they got him back they not only neglected him, but they caused him harm.”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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