Baby Murdered By His Parents After ‘Inadequate Safeguarding’ By Social Services

[naomi24]

//A 10-month-old baby, who was killed by his parents just 39 days after a court returned him to their care, “should have been one of the most protected children in the local authority area”, a review has concluded.

Finley Boden died on Christmas Day 2020 after a period of “inadequate safeguarding” by authorities, who initially removed him from the care of his parents, Shannon Marsden and Stephen Boden, immediately after birth due to concerns for his safety.

Finley Boden died after suffering 130 separate injuries, including 71 bruises and 57 fractures that left almost every bone in his body broken.

Marsden and Boden, from Old Whittington in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, were found guilty of his murder and were handed life sentences in May last year.//

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/27/finley-boden-should-have-been-most-protected-children-review-derbyshire

 

Poor baby.  Why oh why are children deemed to be in danger from their parents ever returned to them?  Their wishes should never be a consideration.

[jackthehat]

It beggars belief and certainly shows up the lie that 'lessons have been learned'.

Poor little mite. 

[anneasquith]

Make no mistake the parents murdered this baby. 
the best outcome for a family like this is to return the baby to the parents ( under supervision).BUT it may be the desired outcome but not always in the child's best interest. Only if the parents prove themselves time and time to be the best option for the child.

what will be learned from this horrendous case, some parents just can't be trusted, social workers are short staffed, they require money to improve the service.

sadly these headlines won't disappear. 
RIP that wee baby .

[Redhelen72]

You are right Anne - money is required to improve services and until that is realised then I fear for more of these tragedies.

They also need to consider changing the fostering and adoption timelines and requirements.

[naomi24]

//the best outcome for a family like this is to return the baby to the parents ( under supervision).BUT it may be the desired outcome but not always in the child's best interest. //

 

Nonsense.  Parents can't be supervised 24/7 and it certainly wasn't in the child's best interest on this occasion!

 

//Only if the parents prove themselves time and time to be the best option for the child.//

 

If parents are deemed to be a danger to the child - just once will do - they should forfeit all right to access to that child.  

 

[youngmafbog]

Answer is to throw money at a service that is poor at best. Are you going to pay more taxes (do you pay any?) to fund it if you think that is the answer?

IMHO, this is nothing to do with being short staffed, this one should have taken priority over other cases given there were problems from the start.  Parents like this should never be given their children back.

but 'lessons will be learnt' I suppose.

[naomi24]

They never are, YMB.

[andres]

These cases have been going on for years . One of the most horrific was the Victoia Climbe case round about the year two thousand. After that there was  to be a review and overhaul of the Social Services , It was never to happen again. But it has several times and whilst we  have evil sadistic people it will happen again and again. 

[andres]

^^Victoria

[10ClarionSt]

This will happen again. We always get the usual "never again" trotted out; lessons will be learned etc, but still it goes on. We had all this when Maria Colwell was murdered all those years ago. It's just a matter of time. The sad fact is that some child, somewhere, right now, is being physically abused, but it's no-ones' fault is it? Ooooo no, no, no, no, no! Not our dept. It's the next lot. Oooo no, no, no, no, no. It's not us either. We didn't know. What? Another child is dead. Things must be done, inquiries held, Family Court proceedings, social services must act, to ensure this never happens again! What? Another child is dead....etc. etc.

[smurfchops]

Beautiful baby, made me feel sick 

[mumstheword1]

Watched this on the news earlier. It just breaks my heart to think of that poor baby. I just cannot process that parents would/could do this to a child. It is just happening too often, and they say lessons have been learnt. NO THEY HAVEN'T. 

[dave50]

Who in their right mind would return a child to known drug addicts? What planet are these people on?

[Barsel]

Every case where a child is murdered is horrific and until such time as the services become more aware of what is going on, then I'm afraid it will happen time and time again. I just hope the scumbags will get their just desserts while in prison.

R.I.P little baby boy, I'm sorry you had to endure what you did in your short life.

[ladybirder]

I'm surprised to see it was you Naomi who has posted this as you have said before you can't bear to read similar cases.  There seems to have been quite a few recently.  Horrendous.

If that sounds like a criticism it's not supposed to be.

Poor poor child.  The terror he must have felt when he realised he was back with them.  He will have known.  Heartbreaking.