KATHERINE COX AND DANNY SHEPHERD SENTENCED IN MINSTER FOR BABY'S DEATH

In November 2017, Katherine Cox and her boyfriend, Danny Shepherd, were sentenced to prison for the violent abuse and subsequent death of their four-month-old son, Eli Cox. The pair, formerly residing on Lapwing Close in Minster, Kent, were convicted of causing or allowing Eli's death after he suffered a fatal brain injury in April 2016.

Kent Police reported that a post-mortem revealed Eli's injuries were consistent with vigorous shaking and head impacts, along with 28 broken bones believed to have occurred over a period of approximately ten weeks. Cox, aged 33, and Shepherd, aged 25, appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday, where they received sentences of eight and thirteen-and-a-half years respectively, following earlier guilty verdicts.

Investigations indicated that the couple was responsible for Eli’s multiple fractures in at least five separate incidents from late February 2016. Officers emphasized that anyone caring for Eli would have clearly seen he was in pain.

The police further stated that Eli was first taken to hospital on April 13, 2016, after he had stopped breathing. Medical staff identified bruises on the baby that were not consistent with accidental injury. Unfortunately, Eli passed away two weeks later. Post-mortem tests revealed traces of cocaine and amphetamine in his system, though both Cox and Shepherd denied any drug use. Despite their claims, police from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate later discovered five wraps of amphetamine in a garden shed on the family property.

Detective Chief Inspector Ivan Beasley expressed his sentiments, saying: “The death of a child is never anything less than tragic, but the circumstances behind Eli Cox’s passing are especially upsetting for those of us who share a compassion for others. None of us will ever understand what compels people to cause harm to children, and it is unfortunately true to say that Eli suffered more than most and was robbed of his life before it had barely begun. Cox and Shepherd maintained their innocence throughout, but the jury saw through their lies. Only they know the true extent of the abuse Eli was subjected to, which is simply unthinkable to most members of society—including parents who would do anything to protect their children from harm.”