A Walsall father fatally shook his newborn son causing ‘catastrophic injuries’. Marcus Carter has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his 10-week-old son and has today been jailed at Bristol Crown Court for seven years and eight months.
Emergency services were called to an address in Easton, Bristol, on August 10, 2020, due to concerns for the well-being of Carter’s son, the court heard. The baby was subsequently taken to Bristol Children’s Hospital for treatment.
But sadly he died 11 days later on 21 August 2020. Carter, 43, of Burns Road, Walsall, initially denied responsibility for his son’s death and lied to police at the time of the incident and in subsequent police interviews.
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It was only after learning the expert medical evidence that he acknowledged that his actions led to the death of his son.
In a personal statement from the victim, the baby’s mother said: “These past few years have been nothing more than a living nightmare. It has been torture.
“My heart aches every day and the pain is unbearable.”
She added: “(Her) life has been stolen from her. She was just 10 weeks old when she died.
“They have robbed him of the opportunity to grow up, have a childhood, go to school and university, have a first girlfriend, become a father and experience life itself. I have been robbed of the opportunity to mother him, care for him and love him.”
Detective Chief Inspector Roger Doxsey, the lead investigating officer, said: “This is a truly tragic case and our hearts go out to the child’s mother and family. The force Carter used, for whatever reason, was completely disproportionate and caused catastrophic injuries.
“He refused to accept his role in what happened for over two years, until he was faced with overwhelming medical evidence and other evidence collected from witnesses and CCTV video. It is of little comfort to the child’s family that they do not have to go through a trial that would undoubtedly have caused them even more anguish.
“They wanted Carter to tell them about everything he did that day and why he shook the boy so hard. He still hasn’t done it in detail, but we hope today is a key step for him to accept responsibility for his actions and the young life he took from him.”
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