‘Barbaric and inhuman’ foster carer convicted of murdering toddler Keegan Downer
A 34-year-old woman has been convicted of murdering a toddler who suffered a catalogue of “horrific” injuries over several months.
Kandyce Downer, from Birmingham, will be sentenced at the city’s Crown Court on Wednesday after jurors took under three hours to convict her of killing 18-month-old Keegan Downer.
A trial which began in April was told Downer (pictured), of Beckbury Road, Weoley Castle, was appointed as Keegan’s guardian around nine months before her death last September.
Keegan, a member of Downer’s extended family, was pronounced dead at Birmingham Children’s Hospital after going into cardiac arrest on September 5.
Detectives believe that around 200 external and internal injuries found on Keegan’s body – including broken ribs and fractures to her legs – were the result of systematic abuse which began in June 2015, six months after she was put in Downer’s care.
A post-mortem examination showed the child had suffered blunt force trauma, leading to infection and blood poisoning which eventually led to her death.
Speaking after the guilty verdict was returned, Detective Inspector Harry Harrison said: “This was an extremely disturbing and harrowing case to investigate.
“What Downer subjected Keegan to was barbaric, inhuman and evil.
“The death of one so young is always tragic, but it is horrifying to think of the amount of violence and suffering this young child must have endured in the last few months of her short life in the hands of someone she should have been able to trust.”
Describing Downer – who disposed of a mattress and bedding – as cunning and devious, the officer added: “Whilst we have today seen justice done, it does not change the tragic fact that an innocent child has lost her life in heart-breaking circumstances.”
The trial heard that a leg fracture inflicted on Keegan would have left her in excruciating pain, making it inconceivable that someone looking after her would have been unaware of the injury.
The youngster had seven recently-broken ribs and an historic head injury at least several days old at the time she died.
The NSPCC said it defied belief that the abuse had happened at the hands of a woman who was entrusted with bringing up Keegan.
The organisation said in a statement: “This is the latest in a series of tragic cases of very young children killed by their parent or guardian. Everything possible must be done to prevent this from happening again.”
Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2016, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) West Midlands Police / PA Wire.
