10-Month-Old Baby Found Dead – A 10-month-old baby’s parents have been convicted responsible for his murder. Finley Boden’s parents have been convicted guilty of his murder following a four-month trial during which the jury heard about the horrifying list of injuries the boy had sustained at the hands of his parents. Paramedics were summoned to a home in Holland Road, Old Whittington, in the early hours of Christmas Day 2020 after receiving reports that Finley Boden, a ten-month-old baby, was not breathing.
His parents, Shannon Marsden and Stephen Boden, informed the paramedics that he had been ill, suffering from a cold, a cough, and a high body temperature. After the 2.27am 999 call, paramedics responded in under five minutes. Finley was then taken to the hospital, where doctors were unable to revive him. At 3.45 am, he was pronounced dead. A post-mortem revealed that Finley’s injuries led to many fractures and infective consequences, which led to his death. When his body was investigated, it was discovered that he had suffered various, independent assaults, resulting in 71 bruises and two burns.
He had 57 fractures, including 17 broken ribs, a broken collarbone, wrist, shoulder, left thigh bone, right shin bone, and both thighs, according to a subsequent assessment. After reviewing Finley’s injuries, a specialized pediatrician concluded that none of the fractures could be accounted for by ordinary occurrences and that Finley had been in “severe and protracted pain” before his death. Marsden and Boden were taken into custody right away. In an interview, they both denied harming Finley and any involvement in the scores of fractures that developed during the 39 days that Finley was under their care.
As soon as Finley was restored to Boden and Marsden’s custody, they both acted evasively when speaking with medical and social workers. Finley had been evaluated by medical personnel on a regular basis before being given back to Boden and Marsden, where it was determined that he was healthy and developing normally. Five weeks later, however, he passed away. Indicted for Finley’s murder were Boden, 30, of Barrow Hill, and Shannon Marsden, 22, of no fixed home.
After a protracted trial at Derby Crown Court in which they pled not guilty and the jury heard their testimony, the jury today (April 14) found that both of them were accountable for his murder. They will receive their punishment afterwards. The man in charge of the investigation into Finley’s death, Detective Inspector Stephen Shaw, said: “Finley Boden died in what should have been the safest place in the world for him — his own home.”His extended family loved him dearly, and during his brief life, he had many joyful moments with them.That was before Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden took care of him.
As a parent, you have no greater responsibility than to the child in your care, but Boden and Marsden were so unwilling to admit Finley to the hospital even though it was obvious that he was in critical condition.It seems plainly evident that their main concern was their own freedom – and not Finley’s life – but they have never provided a convincing explanation for why they did not do this.As a police officer, the harm done to Finley was among the worst I have ever witnessed.
As a father, I cannot fathom how any parent could subject their child to such grave harm.I want to express my gratitude to each and every member of the police force and the CPS investigators that worked to bring Finley’s case to justice. Everyone who has been involved in this case has felt a significant impact.No verdict or jail sentence will bring Finley back, but we now know the truth of what happened to him, and justice has been served. I hope that today’s verdict provides some closure for everyone involved, especially Finley’s family, to whom I continue to extend my condolences.