WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT: Rebecca Shuttleworth was found guilty of the murder of her two-year-old son Keanu Williams, who was found to have 37 injuries in a post-mortem examination
Keanu Williams was just two when he died(Image: PA)
Labelled a “monster” by the police, a 25-year-old mum has been found guilty of the brutal murder of her own child, after his post-mortem tragically revealed he had endured horrific abuse.
Keanu Williams was just two when his body, bearing 37 injuries, was discovered in January 2011. He was found with a fractured skull and a torn abdomen at his home in Ward End, Birmingham, where he lived with his mother, Rebecca Shuttleworth.
The post-mortem disclosed not only severe bruising on the child’s body but also marks indicating he had been hit with a stick or rod with considerable force. The tear in his abdomen was described as “fist-sized”, leading to significant blood loss.
Following an intense five-month trial, Shuttleworth was found guilty and sentenced to serve a minimum of 18 years behind bars. Sentencing Shuttleworth at Birmingham Crown Court, Mr Justice Spencer said: “The jury have convicted you of the brutal murder of your two-year-old son.
“He was a defenceless child, and it was your duty to protect him. Instead, you beat him so severely he died a lingering death from his injuries a day or so later. You have also been convicted of cruelty by failing to summon the medical aid he so badly needed,” according to the BBC, reports the Mirror.
Keanu suffered 37 injuries(Image: PA)
On 9 January 2011, a call was made to 999 around 7.40pm and by the time emergency crews arrived, Keanu was collapsed on the sofa. The toddler’s death was later confirmed that same day.
It’s believed many of the injuries Keanu suffered could have been inflicted 48 hours before the emergency services were called. The understanding is that the child was often left alone in a room to suffer in pain.
Det Chf Insp Marsh expressed her thoughts outside the court, saying: “It’s extremely difficult to understand how someone could do that to their own child. Rebecca Shuttleworth is clearly somebody who is not like a normal member of society.
“In the past, I have described her as a monster, and perhaps I would stand by that.”
Rebecca Shuttleworth was convicted after a five month trial(Image: PA)
She added: “I don’t like to imagine the kind of death this little boy suffered because it clearly was horrendous. He did suffer terribly at the hands of his mother, who should have loved him unconditionally, and clearly she did that to him. This is the worst case of child abuse I have ever seen.”
Despite this, many pointed fingers at the local authorities in Birmingham, as the signs of abuse were thought to be glaringly obvious. The independent chair of the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board, Jane Held, claimed the agencies involved were guilty of “totally unacceptable and unnecessary failures”.
She added: “Keanu died because there was a failure across every agency to see, hear and respond to him. Staff were distracted by his mother’s needs. Keanu died because people missed opportunity after opportunity to intervene.”
In the wake of this heart-wrenching tragedy, it has been confirmed that a significant number of council and health staff have either handed in their resignations or been let go. Although the exact figure remains undisclosed, it’s believed to be in the double digits.