Guilty verdict after baby left disabled
*Trigger warning: this article contains details of the physical abuse of a baby*
A man and woman have been convicted after a baby was left profoundly disabled in what Judge Julian Lambert described in court as a “monstrous act”.
Tom Kember, 27, and Katherine Reilly, 25, both of Taunton, had both denied the charges against them but were convicted unanimously by the jury today, Wednesday 30 October, after a five-week trial at Bristol Crown Court.
Kember was found guilty of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and Reilly of child cruelty.
Kember has been remanded in custody and Reilly bailed pending sentence, currently scheduled for 24 January 2025.
The baby girl was born prematurely in 2019 and just 10 days after being discharged from hospital, on 14 January 2020, an ambulance was called to an address in Taunton as she was unresponsive.
Ambulance staff noted bruising on her temples and raised their concerns with Musgrove Park Hospital staff.
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 12 January 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 10.45pm 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 1.20am on 14 January that Kember called 111.
At 6.10am that day Kember searched for “can I get dosent for abiseing (sic) … baby” – the prosecution case being that this was a mistyped search for “can I get done for abusing … baby”.
The child, now four, has been adopted by the foster parents who have been caring for her since she was four months old and in hospital. The traumatic brain injury has left her non-verbal, with significant visual impairment, multiple daily seizures and other complex needs.
Detective Chief Inspector 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 readmitted 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.”