A MAN and woman have been convicted after a baby girl was left profoundly disabled in what Judge Julian Lambert described in court as a ‘monstrous act’.
Tom Kember, aged 27, and Katherine Reilly, aged 25, both of Taunton, had each denied charges against them, but were convicted unanimously on Wednesday (October 30) by a jury after a five-week trial in Bristol Crown Court.
Kember was found guilty of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and Reilly of child cruelty.
Judge Lambert remanded Kember in custody and bailed Reilly pending sentence, which was scheduled for January 24.
The court heard the girl was born prematurely in 2019, and just 10 days after being discharged from hospital, on January 14, 2020, an ambulance was called to an address in Taunton as she was ‘unresponsive’.
Ambulance staff noted bruising on the baby’s temples and raised their concerns with medical staff in Musgrove Park Hospital.
The court heard that Kember and Reilly left the hospital while the baby was still being treated and started packing up her things.
Expert medical evidence presented to the court by the prosecution stated the child’s injuries were of a level previously seen in high-speed traffic collisions or falls from one-storey height, and would not have been caused by a domestic accident.
The jury was told that on January 12, 2020, Kember searched online for ‘what happend aif u (sic) hit a baby’s face’ and ‘can a baby be sick if it gets hit’.
At 10.45 pm the next day, while at a fast-food restaurant with Reilly and the baby, Kember searched online for terms such as ‘if baby hits its head does the baby sleep a lot’.
It was not until about 1.20 am on January 14 that Kember called 111.
At 6.10 am that day, Kember searched for ‘can I get dosent for abiseing (sic) … baby’ - the prosecution case being that this was a mis-typed search for ‘can I get done for abusing … baby’.
The child, now aged four years, has been adopted by foster parents who have been caring for her since she was four months old and in hospital.
A traumatic brain injury has left her non-verbal, with significant visual impairment, multiple daily seizures, and other complex needs.
Det Chief Insp Roger Doxsey, who led the investigation, said: “This has been a distressing case for all involved.
“A helpless baby has been abused by adults who were more concerned with avoiding the consequences of their actions than with seeking medical help for her.
“It is tragic to reflect that having been born at 31 weeks, she was re-admitted to hospital with these terrible injuries before her due date.
“I would like to pay tribute to the medical staff who helped to ensure this little girl’s remarkable survival, and the family who are now providing her with such love and care.”