British Parents Sentenced to Life for the 'Sadistic' Murder of Their Baby

The tragic story of baby Finley has horrified the nation. His parents were handed life sentences on Friday after a litany of injuries and fractures were found to have been inflicted upon the child, leading to his death three years ago on Christmas Day.

The parents sentenced to life, Shannon and Stephen.Ⓒ DERBYSHIRE POLICE The father, Stephen, 30, was sentenced to a minimum of 29 years in prison, while the mother, Shannon, 22, received at least 27 years. Baby Finley from Derbyshire was under enhanced supervision, but a family court judge had decided to give full responsibility back to his parents, albeit with obligatory visits from care professionals. Tragically, just over a month after Finley was fully returned to his parents, the situation turned fatal. The parents reportedly called emergency services, reporting cardiac arrest. Unfortunately, Finley could not be saved, passing away due, in part, to pneumonia. Traces of cannabis were also discovered in his bloodstream.

Hospital doctors quickly recognized that the 10-month-old baby had been severely abused. Finley suffered more than fifty bone fractures, seventy bruises, and two burns, one of which was suspected to have been caused by a cigarette. The court, as reported by British media, described the abuse as "brutal and prolonged with a sadistic motivation." The parents' motive remains unclear, but The Daily Mail reported the couple as drug-addicted.

"No one heard Finley cry or scream in pain because you two inflicted the injuries together, with one of you breaking his bones and the other muffling him with a hand over his mouth," said the judge. The case has sparked widespread criticism of child protection services in the United Kingdom. The role of the authorities and any potential failures are currently under investigation.