Finley Boden: Parents found guilty of murdering 10-month-old baby son in Derbyshire

The youngster suffered a shocking catalogue of injuries at the hands of his parents, Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden, including 17 fractured ribs, inflicted during multiple assaults.

When paramedics were called to a house on Holland Road in Old Whittington, near Chesterfield, during the early hours of Christmas Day in 2020 to reports that Finley was unreponsive, his parents told them he had been poorly – with a temperature, cough and a cold. Finley was rushed to hospital but doctors were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead at 3.45am that day.

A post-mortem found Finley had died as a result of multiple fractures and infective complications. He was found to have 71 bruises, two burns and 57 fractures, including to his collarbone, wrist, shoulder, left thigh bone, right shin bone and both thighs. A specialist paediatrician believed none of the fractures could be explained by normal events and Finley would have been in ‘severe and protracted pain’ prior to his death.

Parents denied having any knowledge of baby's multiple fractures

Boden and Marsden were arrested immediately and when interviewed they denied causing the injuries or having any knowledge about the fractures which had occurred during the 39 days Finley had been in their care.

Boden, aged 30, of Barrow Hill, and Marsden, 22, of no fixed abode, were both charged with Finley’s murder, which they denied, but after a four-month trial at Derby Crown Court they were both found guilty by a jury. They are due to be sentenced at a later date.

Detective Inspector Stephen Shaw, who led the investigation into Finley’s death, said: “Finley Boden died in what should have been the safest place in the world for him – his own home. He was much loved by his wider family and, during his short life, knew a great many happy times with them.

“That was until he was in the care of Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden. As a parent you have no greater responsibility than to a child that is in your care but Boden and Marsden could not even bring themselves to take Finley to hospital when it was absolutely clear that he was critically ill.

‘Injuries inflicted upon Finley were among the worst I have seen during career in policing’

“They have never given a reasonable explanation as to why they did not do this, but it appears to be abundantly clear that their primary concern was their own freedom – and not the life of Finley.

“The injuries that were inflicted upon Finley were among the worst I have seen during my career in policing and, as a father, it is inconceivable to me how any parent could cause such devastating injuries to a child.

“I would like to thank all of the staff and investigators within both the police and the CPS who have been involved in securing justice for Finley. The impact on everyone who has had any involvement in this case has been huge.

“I hope that today’s verdict brings a form of closure for all those involved – in particular Finley’s family to whom I offer my own, and the wider force’s, continued condolences. No verdict or jail sentence will bring Finley back, however, we now know the truth of what happened to him, and justice has been delivered.”