Giggling and happy to be back at home with the parents who murdered him: Heartbreaking footage and images of Finley’s last days in the arms of his killer parents – as calls grow for an inquiry into social services
- Finley Boden was beaten to death on Christmas Day when at just 10-months-old
- Suffered 57 fractures – including 45 rib fractures – several burns and 71 bruises
- Videos and pictures of the cheeky, tragic baby show him giggling and smiling
These are the heartbreaking photos of giggling Finley Boden in the arms of his killer parents.
The smiling, chubby baby was beaten to death on Christmas Day when he was just 10-months-old by Stephen Boden, 30, and Shannon Marsden, 22, who lived in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
He suffered 57 fractures – including 45 rib fractures – several burns and 71 bruises, just 39 days after he was handed back to the evil drug addicted pair by social services.
A video of Finley before his death shows the cheeky baby cosy in fox-patterded bed sheets, giggling into the camera as he is tickled with a teddy.
Another shows him confidently standing in a star-covered jumpsuit and a bib, as he sucks on something he holds in his tiny hands.
Smiling, chubby Finley was beaten to death on Christmas Day when he was just 10-months-old by Stephen Boden, 30, and Shannon Marsden , 22
And a third shows the toddler wide-eyed as he is encouraged to speak in a blue, red and yellow top.
A final clip shows the contented baby wheeled about in his pram as he calmly watches up into the camera from behind several layers of clothing.
Just hours after his son’s death, Boden was heard telling Marsden at hospital that he was going to sell Finley’s pushchair on eBay – later telling police he was trying to, ‘lighten the mood.’
One photo shows the tragic tot lifting his toes above his head as he lies next to his evil mum, who smiles into the camera.
Taken on November 25 2020, exactly a month later little Finley’s pelvis would be broken in two by sustained ‘kicking or stamping’ and there were burns on his hand. One was ‘from a hot, flat surface’ – the other ‘from a cigarette flame’.
A second picture shows the tuckered-out baby trustingly holding on to the dad that would end his life.
Wearing a soft dark sweater and using a dummy, his tiny fingers are rested outstretched on a soft blanket.
His half naked dad lies underneath him, looking into the phone camera.
One photo shows the tragic tot lifting his toes above his head as he lies next to his evil mum, who smiles into the camera. Taken on November 25 2020, exactly a month later little Finley’s pelvis would be broken in two by sustained ‘kicking or stamping’ and there were burns on his hand. One was ‘from a hot, flat surface’ – the other ‘from a cigarette flame’
A second picture shows the tuckered-out baby trustingly holding on to the dad that would end his life
The inside of Finley’s mouth was ‘torn’ when he died, with Prosecutor Mary Prior KC saying: ‘This is caused by forcing a dummy or a bottle in the mouth.’
The baby also had a ‘spiral’ break to a thigh, while a shin bone break was ‘consistent with being held by the ankle and gripped and twisted’.
Boden later claimed to a relative the family dog may have ‘jumped on’ Finley, causing multiple broken ribs, while allegedly blaming marks on Finley’s mouth on his son hitting himself ‘with a rattle’.
A child safeguarding review is currently underway into the circumstances surrounding the tot’s murder – as social workers raised concerns before he was even born into the state of the family home and his parents drug use.
He was removed from the killers immediately after he was born in February 2020 – but returned on November 17 that year. 39 days later, he was dead.
He was returned to the couple’s care over eight weeks by a court order in October 2020, despite social workers asking for a longer transition.
Boden, of Romford Way in Barrow Hill, Chesterfield, and Marsden, of no fixed address, had denied murder, two counts of child cruelty and two charges of causing or allowing the death of a child.
Little Finley fatally collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Paramedics were called at 2.33am on Christmas Day and he was pronounced dead at hospital at 3.45am.
His parents did not call an ambulance for an hour because Boden wanted to smoke cannabis and hide their drugs.
Stephen Boden, 30, and Shannon Marsden, 22, were convicted by a jury at Derby Crown Court this afternoon
Images of the home show the grim conditions Finley endured in his short life with his parents.
Clutter is seen throughout the home, with unwashed pots and pans piled up in the kitchen, toys and bags carelessly thrown into the bathtub and a bedside table littered with dirty cigarette butts and empty cans of energy drink.
Timeline of Finley’s short life and contact with social services
September 20, 2019: Marsden informs social care she is 20 weeks pregnant with Finley
October 2019: Social care begin court proceedings in relation to the unborn child
January 16, 2020: Social worker visits the couple’s address, finding holes in a bedroom door
January 21, 2020: Unborn Finley is made subject of a child protection plan
February 15, 2020: Finley is born
February 18, 2020: Finley leaves hospital and is removed from the couple’s care
February 25, 2020: Boden and Marsden tell social care they want Finley back
October 1, 2020: Family court directs Finley should be returned to care of his parents under an eight-week plan including unsupervised visits and overnight stays of varying durations
November 17, 2020: Finley is allowed to live permanently with his parents
November 19, 2020: New social worker visits home address
November 20, 2020: Health visitor visits the address
November 26, 2020: Health visitor tries to call Marsden but there is no answer
November 27, 2020: Social worker makes unannounced visit to the home
November 29, 2020: Boden and Marsden record video and pictures of Finley on their phone
December 23, 2020: Social worker visits the property but is unable to go inside
December 24, 2020: Finley is seen alive for the last time as he is taken out by his parents in Chesterfield
December 25, 2020: Finley is murdered
A feeding bottle appears to have mould growing on the inside and a number of stains are visible on bedsheets.
Little Finley becomes the latest victim in the harrowing rollcall of children killed in their homes in lockdown, including Star Hobson, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Logan Mwangi.
Detective Inspector Steve Shaw, of Derbyshire Constabulary, said the boy’s bones were ‘crushed and twisted’ during the campaign of abuse.
Discussing the case, DI Shaw said: ‘The appearance of Finley [at the time of his death] was generally showing signs that he had been neglected.
‘Officers went to the house on Holland Road where they lived and they found squalid living conditions, filthy bedding, filthy clothing, rotting food in the kitchen, no environment to bring a child up in, and there were signs of cannabis abuse scattered around the house.
‘But I don’t think that prepared us for the level of injury that we discovered when the post-mortem took place.
‘The majority of Finley’s bones were fractured in some way and as the investigation progressed, the evidence from some of the experts around the levels of force that had to be used – Finley’s bones had to be crushed and twisted with quite some force – eliminated any accidental cause of these injuries.’
The injuries inflicted included a broken shoulder, broken arm, broken shinbone, a thigh bone broken in four places, and a pelvis broken in two places.
He had also developed pneumonia, endocarditis – inflammation of the lining of the heart – and sepsis.
The police investigation – which took a year before charges were brought -compiled evidence from burn experts, paediatricians and pathologists, who concluded that the injuries were deliberately inflicted.
Further enquiries revealed that drug use and domestic abuse were themes of Boden and Marsden’s relationship in the months and weeks prior to Finley’s murder.
But DI Shaw said that while ‘you can’t dispute there is an element of domestic abuse’ in the pair’s relationship, both ‘had to be complicit’ in what was happening.
He said: ‘Despite what happened in that address on that day, when Shannon and Stephen were released on bail, initially with conditions not to contact each other, within a couple of weeks they had resumed their relationship and they continued with that relationship until they were arrested again, both charged and placed in prison.
‘The Holland Road address where they lived, was in a squalid state and a small property for a family, so both parties had to be complicit and have knowledge of what was going on within that tiny space.’
Even while they were in prison the pair continued to write eachother affectionate letters.
After Finley was returned to his parents, number of social workers and health workers visited the home address, but on more than one occasion, was unable to enter the property.
On Christmas Eve, Finley was last seen while out with his parents in Chesterfield, before he was killed on Christmas Day – just 39 days after he was returned to their care.
A feeding bottle found at the home had mould growing on the inside
Images released by police today show the grim conditions Finley endured in his short life with his parents
Toys and bags were carelessly thrown into the bathtub in another example of the poor conditions Finley suffered
Clutter is seen throughout the home, with unwashed pots and pans piled up in the kitchen
The trial previously heard chilling text messages sent from the parents’ joint mobile phone.
One message from that handset to a contact saved as ‘Smokey J’ at 12.39pm on December 23, 2020, said: ‘Little one f****** kept me up all night. I want to bounce him off the walls. Haha.’
Before the youngster was returned to the couple’s care by a court order, internet searches were made on that phone for several news articles relating to parent-involved child deaths.
A child safeguarding review into the circumstances surrounding Finley’s death is currently under way.
Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC chief executive, demanded a child safeguarding practice review, ‘to provide answers as soon as possible.’
He said the suffering of Finley, ‘inflicted by the very people who should have been caring for him’ was ‘harrowing and difficult to comprehend’.
‘The death of a child in such brutal circumstances leaves many of us asking questions and we await the child safeguarding practice review to provide answers as soon as possible,’ he added.
‘Finley was one of 36 children who died in England following abuse and maltreatment at home in 2020 alone.’
He said: ‘So that children who are most at risk are protected, it is vital the Government takes forward the changes recommended by previous reviews and experts to transform the child protection system and ensure the different agencies involved are able to work together effectively to focus on children and babies like Finley.’
Heartbreaking rollcall of children who became victims of lockdown
The Covid-19 lockdown has produced a heartbreaking rollcall of children who became victims of tragic deaths at the hands of those who are meant to take care of them.
Two-year-old Lola James was tragically killed by her evil stepfather, suffering 101 injuries including brain damage similar to what is sustained in high-speed car-crashes.
The little girl was victim to a ‘frenized and extremely violent attack’ on July 17, 2020 at her home in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, by her mother Sinead James’ new partner Kyle Bevan, 31. She died four days later.
Young Logan Mwangi, five, was killed by his mother, stepfather and stepbrother on July 31, 2020 after suffering ‘catastrophic’ internal injuries. His body was found in the River Ogmore near his home in Sarn, Bridgend County.
Star Hobson was only 16 months old when she was killed at her home in Keighley, West Yorkshire on September 22, 2020 by her mother Frankie Smith’s girlfriend Savannah Brockhill, after suffering months of abuse in her home during the Covid lockdown.
A mother and her ‘monster’ boyfriend have been found guilty over the death of two-year-old Lola James (pictured) who was fatally attacked at her home in Wales
NSPCC Cymru’s assistant director Tracey Holdsworth said a review into Lola’s death must establish whether more could have been done by agencies to prevent her death and called for the Welsh Government to make child protection a national priority.
Ms Holdsworth said: ‘This is another tragic case where a young child has died at the hands of those who she depended on.
‘Lola deserved a happy and healthy future, but that was cruelly taken away by the horrendous actions of Kyle Bevan and the failure of her mother, Sinead James, to intervene.
‘The Welsh Government has rightly committed to transforming children’s social care and it’s crucial this leads to systemic changes that ensure children like Lola are better protected.’
Lola James, two – murdered July 17, 2020
Lola James, two
Two-year-old Lola James was tragically killed by her evil stepfather, suffering 101 injuries including brain damage similar to what is sustained in high-speed car-crashes.
Sinead James, 30, moved her partner Kyle Bevan, 31, into the house she shared with little Lola James in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, a day after meeting him on Facebook in February 2020.
Swansea Crown Court heard Bevan, who had a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ temper, carried out a ‘frenzied and extremely violent attack’ on the young girl just four months later, causing 101 bruises and scratches and a catastrophic injury to the brain.
Lola’s mother was a victim of domestic abuse and had twice been educated on how to spot signs of an abuser, but chose to prioritise her relationship with Bevan over the safety of her child, the jury was told – before they convicted her of allowing Lola’s death.
James was told by the local authority not to invite adults into the family home if she did not know them well or if they were alcohol or drug abusers, but she ignored their advice.
Kaylea Titford, 16 – found dead October 10, 2020
Also amongst the victims of lockdown is Kaylea Titford.
Kaylea Titford, 16
The 16-year-old, who suffered from spina bifida, was found dead at her home in Newtown, Powys, on October 10, 2020 after her parents allowed her to become morbidly obese during lockdown.
Her mother, Sarah Lloyd-Jones, 39, admitted manslaughter by gross negligence last year, while her father, Alun Titford, denied the charges and was found guilty after a trial last month.
The teenager weighed 22st 13lb with a BMI of 70 at the time of her death, and her body was discovered inside her bedroom in conditions described as ‘unfit for any animal’.
A jury of eight men and four women convicted Titford after being shown pictures during the trial at Mold Crown Court in North Wales of the ‘squalor and degradation’ Kaylea had been forced to endure.
Alijah Thomas, five – murdered September 14, 2021
Five-year-old Alijah Thomas begged her mother Martina Madarova, 41, not to kill her as she strangled her to death at their home in Ealing, west London, on September 14, 2021.
Alijah Thomas, five
Madarova had put on cartoons for her daughter Alijah Thomas before carrying out the act as the child said: ‘Mummy, don’t kill me.’ She proceeded to strangle Aljah, before ‘tucking her in with a blanket’.
The 41-year-old had been suffering with her mental health and turned to alcohol during the Covid lockdown, and had been in a ‘dark place’ the night before her daughter’s tragic death.
She was given a five-year jail sentence after a judge ruled that she had ‘low responsibility’ over Alijah’s death.
A court heard that in the months leading up to the incident, family members and friends became concerned for Madarova’s wellbeing as she appeared ‘increasingly stressed’.
She was concerned for her income, after her hours as a carer had been reduced, and had become anxious after missing the deadline to enrol Alijah at school.
On the morning of September 14, Alijah’s father had left early for work and was notified a few hours later from a phone call from Madarova that their daughter was dead.
Kyrell Matthews, two – murdered October 20, 2019
Kyrell Matthews, two
Kyrell Matthews, aged two, was left with 41 rib fractures and internal injuries by the time of his death after weeks of cruelty at the hands of his mother Phylesia Shirley and her boyfriend Kemar Brown.
Brown was convicted of murder while Shirley was acquitted of murder but found guilty of the alternative charge of manslaughter.
They appeared alongside each other in the dock as Brown was sentenced to at least 25 years in prison while Shirley was jailed for 13 years.
The toddler, who was non-verbal, could be heard crying and screaming on distressing audio files taken from Shirley’s phone and played to jurors during the trial.
Brown and Shirley are understood to have been visited by social services at least once.
Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, murdered June 17, 2020
Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six
Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, aged six, was murdered by his cruel stepmother Emma Tustin in June.
She was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 29 years and the boy’s father Thomas Hughes was jailed for 21 years for manslaughter.
The boy had been seen by social workers just two months before his death, but they concluded there were no safeguarding concerns.
In October 2019, Aileen Carabine, a special educational coordinator at Arthur’s school, said Arthur ‘deteriorated’ that month.
Hughes, 29, was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years after being found guilty of manslaughter – but cleared of murder – for encouraging the killing, including by sending a text message to Tustin 18 hours before the fatal assault telling her ‘just end him’.
Logan Mwangi, five – murdered July 31, 2020
Logan Mwangi, five
Five-year-old Logan Mwangi was murdered by his mother, step-father and teenage step-brother on July 31, 2021.
His body, which suffered 56 ‘catastrophic’ injuries consistent with a ‘brutal and sustained assault’ was found in the River Ogmore near his home in Sarn, Bridgend county.
John Cole, 40, Angharad Williamson, 31, and 14-year-old Craig Mulligan were all convicted of murder in April 2022.
Cole will serve a minimum of 29 years, Williamson at least 28 years, while teenage Mulligan will serve at least 15 years.
Social services repeatedly missed signs of abuse and opportunities to protect Logan, with injuries dating back to August 2020.
Inspectors have blasted the council which failed to protect murdered five-year-old Logan Mwangi, with the watchdog insisting ‘serious concerns’ remain about its children’s services a full year after his death.
Care Inspectorate Wales noted there have been improvements at Bridgend County Borough Council in the last 12 months, but said there was still a need for ‘further urgent action’.
Star Hobson, 16 months – murdered September 22, 2020
Star Hobson, 16 months
Star Hobson was just 16 months old when she was murdered by her mother’s girlfriend Savannah Brockill in September 2020.
In the lead-up to her death, she had suffered months of abuse in her home in Keighley, West Yorkshire, during the coronavirus lockdown in 2020.
Former Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfield, the chairwoman of the Commission on Young Lives, warned after Star’s murder that the Covid lockdown ‘brought its own opportunities for those who harm, groom and abuse children.’
Brockill is now serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years at HMP Styal in Cheshire, after being convicted in December 2021.
Star’s mother, Frankie Smith, was convicted of causing or allowing the toddler’s death and was initially sentenced to eight years behind bars.
This was increased to 12 years after a judicial review.
Social services missed five opportunities to stop Star’s killers, with her great-grandfather Dave Fawcett saying after their convictions: ‘It’s disgusting because there were five referrals. Not one of them did anything. It’s just beyond belief, really.
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