Jailed: Parents who murdered their baby on Christmas Day after lying to social workers

Cannabis-using couple subjected son to unimaginable cruelty, says judge, as relative slates ‘monsters’

Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden inflicted 130 injuries on Finley (Derbyshire Police/PA) (PA Media)

Parents who murdered their 10-month-old son just weeks after he was returned to their care have been sentenced to life in jail for his killing.

Shannon Marsden and Stephen Boden must serve a minimum of 27 years and 29 years respectively after they were convicted last month of the murder of Finley Boden.

The couple were “persuasive and accomplished liars” who subjected their son to unimaginable cruelty, the judge said.

(Derbyshire Police/PA)

The pair, who showed no emotion as they were sentenced, lied to social workers, claiming he had Covid to prevent their seeing him, before killing their son on Christmas Day 2020 – the culmination of what prosecutors said was a “savage and brutal” campaign of abuse.

Finley was taken away from the couple at birth, but they lied about being drug-free to win him back in November that year, Derby Crown Court was told.

The toddler had 130 separate injuries when he died, including 71 bruises, 57 bone breaks and fractures, and burns. He also had sepsis and endocarditis, an infection of the lining of the heart.

Sentencing the two while family members wept in the public gallery, Mrs Justice Tipples described how the boy’s parents were cannabis users.

“Finley was a lovely baby. He was happy, smiley and chuckling,” she said.

She continued: “The facts in relation to the last days of Finley’s life are terrible to describe and extremely distressing,” and added: “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.

I can only describe you both as monsters

Relative of one of the defendants

“He was subject to repeated abuse on multiple occasions. Once the injuries had been inflicted, Finley’s daily experience was one of considerable pain, distress and suffering.

“It was obvious to both of you by December 16 that Finley was very seriously injured, and he was utterly miserable.

“He was no longer able to sit up and play with his toys. He was unable to feed himself.”

She added: “By the evening of December 23 he was plainly dying. There was nothing subtle about this at all. It was plainly obvious to both of you.”

Finley Boden, left, and a baby bottle containing gone-off milk found by police, as well as the bathroom (Derbyshire Police/PA)

Medical intervention would have saved Finley’s life, the judge said, and he would have made a full recovery had it not been for the defendants deliberately delaying calling for medical help. By the time they did, nothing could be done.

At their home in Holland Road, Old Whittington, Derbyshire, the pair lied to doctors about the final days and hours of Finley’s life, in an attempt to explain the cause of his injuries, the judge said, which included 46 rib fractures and 12 other bone fractures.

The fractures would have required “considerable force” and meant he could not breathe properly, eventually causing the fatal infection.

Images shown to the jury depicted a house full of clutter with cannabis paraphernalia next to gone-off baby formula and items of Finley’s clothing covered in his blood, saliva and faeces.

Marsden, of no fixed address, and Boden, of Barrow Hill, Chesterfield, lied by saying their baby had Covid, preventing social workers seeing Finley, Mrs Justice Tipples said.

The mother was picking up drugs from their dealer when a social worker made an unannounced visit days before the death, and the father lied to cover up.

Shannon Marsden with her son Finley Boden, a month before the child’s death on Christmas Day (PA)

“I’m sure the injuries to Finley were inflicted in your home,” she said, and one of the parents put a hand over the toddler’s mouth to ensure his screams could not be heard by neighbours.

After the boy died, the parents delayed calling an ambulance but when called, the paramedics smelled cannabis and noticed the filthy conditions in the house, including the cot covered in blood and vomit.

The court heard that Boden smoked cannabis from the age of nine and Marsden was drinking from the same age and smoking cannabis from the age of 10.

“Regular arguments were a feature of that relationship from the outset,” the judge said, adding that Boden had a short temper and could be “uncontrollably and aggressively angry” but that Marsden was quite capable of standing her own ground in the arguments.

“I am also sure that you were pushed and hit and verbally abused by Stephen Boden in your relationship with him,” the judge told Marsden.

She said: “You both knew that as soon as anyone knew Finley was injured, he would be taken away from you and your family life.

“Having brutally assaulted Finley on at least two occasions, you continued to abuse him.”

Once the injuries had been inflicted, Finley’s daily experience was one of considerable pain, distress and suffering

Judge Mrs Justice Tipples

A statement from a relative of one of the defendants, read by prosecutor Mary Prior KC before sentencing, said Finley had suffered “the most horrific abuse” and labelled his parents “monsters”.

The relative said: “I thought they had both changed. I was obviously wrong and they only showed us what they wanted us to see.

“They acted together to inflict all his injuries and then hide him away and allow him to die in such an awful way.

“We as a family have grieved, but you haven’t needed to, as you are both responsible for his death.

“We will never forget, or forgive, you both, and we will never forget Finley.

“While we will never forget Finley, I promise, we will forget you both.

“I can only describe you both as monsters for what you have done.”

Following the sentencing, an NSPCC spokesperson said: “The cruelty and abuse inflicted on Finley leading up to his tragic death was appalling and heartbreaking.

“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.”