BENJAMIN CURTIS SHAKES BABY DAUGHTER IN WOKING AND EASTBOURNE LEADING TO TRAGIC DEATH

In a heartbreaking case that has shocked the communities of Eastbourne and Woking, Benjamin Curtis, a 30-year-old man, has been sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of his infant daughter, Ocean Elliot. The tragic events unfolded when Curtis, who was responsible for caring for Ocean at a residence in Sheerwater, Woking, on the night of April 2, 2007, lost his temper and inflicted severe injuries on the three-and-a-half-month-old girl.

According to court reports, Curtis called a neighbor that night, claiming that Ocean had begun shaking and shivering while he was changing her nappy. He then requested an ambulance, asserting that the baby had bumped her head on the side of her cot. However, subsequent medical examinations revealed that the injuries sustained by Ocean were consistent with head trauma caused by violent shaking, not a simple bump. The medical findings indicated that Curtis had shaken her four or five times back and forth, causing significant brain damage.

Initially, Curtis denied causing any harm to Ocean, but under police interrogation, he admitted to losing control momentarily. He explained that he shook her in a fit of frustration, which resulted in injuries that left her with severe brain damage, rendering her functionally blind and suffering from frequent seizures. The court heard that these injuries contributed significantly to her health deterioration over the following years.

Despite the initial incident occurring in 2007, Ocean’s health continued to decline, and she was hospitalized multiple times. Tragically, she contracted swine flu, which, combined with the injuries inflicted by Curtis, led to her death on August 18, 2009, at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. She was just two years and eight months old at the time of her passing.

Following her death, Curtis was arrested in November 2009 on suspicion of manslaughter. After extensive investigations and medical reports, he was formally charged in September 2012. It was revealed that Curtis had previously served a 20-month sentence in April 2008 after admitting to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

During the sentencing hearing at Guildford Crown Court, Detective Chief Inspector Juliet Parker expressed her sorrow over the case, stating, “The actions of Curtis that night left a young baby with terrible injuries from which she never recovered. Ocean was a healthy and vibrant young girl, but the consequences of the violent shaking she endured left her suffering from severe ill-health for the rest of her brief life. This has been a difficult, complex, and tragic case, and I hope that today’s outcome can bring some measure of justice for Ocean and closure for her family.”

The presiding judge addressed Curtis directly, condemning his actions and emphasizing the gravity of his misconduct. “Like most babies, she cried. You picked her up and shook her four or five times. You may have been tired or uncertain about how to soothe her, or perhaps cross with your partner. But none of that is any excuse for your loss of temper and mistreatment of that baby. The results were catastrophic,” the judge stated. He further explained that had Curtis contested the charges, he would have faced a three-year sentence, but due to his guilty plea, the sentence was reduced to two years.

Adding context to the case, Ms. Glynn, representing the court, revealed that Ocean’s mother had entered into a relationship with Curtis in 2005. Their relationship was marked by ongoing violence and disharmony, with social services initially placing restrictions on Curtis’s contact with Ocean. Despite an agreement that she would not leave her daughter alone with Curtis, Ocean’s mother admitted to leaving her in his care on the night of the assault to go to bingo with a friend. Her emotional response to the tragedy was one of despair, questioning the justice of the sentence. “Where is the justice? Two years isn’t long enough, what will he serve, a year of that? I would have preferred five years,” she lamented.

This case underscores the devastating consequences of parental violence and the importance of safeguarding vulnerable children from harm, highlighting the tragic loss of a young life due to a moment of uncontrollable rage.