A British woman was sentenced to 15 years behind bars this week for the 2021 death of her 2-year-old disabled stepson, who passed after an attack at his father’s home in Jacksdale, Nottinghamshire.
BBC reports that Leila Borrington was convicted of manslaughter Wednesday at the Nottingham Crown Court, but acquitted on murder charges. Borrington, the prosecution said, abused her stepson, Harvey Borrington, who was non-verbal and autistic and couldn’t tell his biological mother that Borrington had been abusing him.
The jury heard from prosecutors how Borrington hit the victim over the head several times while babysitting him. She then recorded the victim as he lay on his right side, whimpering.
Instead of calling for medical help, Borrington called the child’s father at work, sent him the video, and texted, “Why does this happen to me?”
Borrington then called 999 and claimed Harvey “fell backward” from a chair, but medical expert testimony indicated that he died from “direct blunt force trauma,” caused by a repeated attack.
An autopsy indicated that the victim had a fractured skull and brain bleeding.
“She made no real attempt to assist Harvey,” the prosecution said.
Videos found on the defendant’s phone showed her lifting the child’s left arm while he lay on his side, then dropping his arm. She then continued filming him while he was unresponsive on the living room floor.
Paramedics rushed the child to King’s Mill Hospital in Mansfield; he was later transferred to Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre, where he passed away.
“To this day I can’t bear to think of him lying on that floor with him dying and her filming him, delaying getting medical help for him,” Harvey’s mother, Katie Holroyd, told the court.
In the months leading to his death, Borrington attacked the toddler on at least two other occasions, the court heard, according to Sky News. The attacks left him with a broken arm and face injuries.
“You were 21 when the first offence was committed and 22 when you assaulted and killed Harvey,” appointed judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, told Borrington prior to sentencing. “During the trial we saw video footage of Harvey playing with his toys and placing items into the dishwasher.”
“Within less than 30 minutes, further video footage showed Harvey unconscious on the living room floor…Precisely what happened to Harvey only you know.”
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[Feature Photo: Harvey Borrington/Facebook]
