Finley Boden: Jury retires in trial of Chesterfield parents accused of murdering baby son

By Julia Rodgerson
Published 5th Apr 2023, 15:42 BST
Updated 5th Apr 2023, 15:47 BST
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A jury has retired to consider verdicts in the trial of a Chesterfield mother and father accused of murdering their baby son.

Stephen Boden, 30, and Shannon Marsden, 22, are on trial at Derby Crown Court accused of killing 10-month-old Finley Boden on Christmas day in 2020, 39 days after he was placed back into their care.

The court has been told that Finley had 57 fractures among 130 injuries.

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Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, listed fractures found on the boy's body which included a pelvic injury caused by kicking or stamping with force equal to falling from a sixth floor window.

Stephen Boden and his partner, Shannon Marsden, are accused of killing Finley Boden during the winter 2020 Covid lockdown, 39 days after the little boy was placed back into their care by social services.Stephen Boden and his partner, Shannon Marsden, are accused of killing Finley Boden during the winter 2020 Covid lockdown, 39 days after the little boy was placed back into their care by social services.
Stephen Boden and his partner, Shannon Marsden, are accused of killing Finley Boden during the winter 2020 Covid lockdown, 39 days after the little boy was placed back into their care by social services.

The baby developed pneumonia via his infected rib fractures, sepsis and the heart condition endocarditis, said Ms Prior.

The jury was told that most of the wounds would have occurred a week or a fortnight before Finley's death.

Paramedics were called there at 2.33am on Christmas Day and Finley was taken to hospital, but despite medics' best efforts he was pronounced dead at 3.45am.

Boden of Romford Way, Barrow Hill and Shannon Marsden, 22, of no fixed address deny murder, manslaughter, allowing or causing the death of a child