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| Childminder guilty of baby death | Childminder guilty of baby death |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A childminder has been jailed for three years for killing an 11-month-old baby by violently shaking her in a temper. | A childminder has been jailed for three years for killing an 11-month-old baby by violently shaking her in a temper. |
| Keran Henderson, 43, of Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, had pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Maeve Sheppard. | Keran Henderson, 43, of Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, had pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Maeve Sheppard. |
| Henderson, a mother-of-two and a former Beaver Scout leader, had been looking after Maeve when the unconscious baby was taken to hospital in 2005. | Henderson, a mother-of-two and a former Beaver Scout leader, had been looking after Maeve when the unconscious baby was taken to hospital in 2005. |
| Experts at Reading Crown Court said the injuries were caused by the baby's neck being violently snapped back and forth. | Experts at Reading Crown Court said the injuries were caused by the baby's neck being violently snapped back and forth. |
| The jury convicted Henderson after deliberating for more than 12 hours at the end of a five-week trial. | The jury convicted Henderson after deliberating for more than 12 hours at the end of a five-week trial. |
| Judge, Mr Justice Keith, told Henderson: "Your reputation as someone who parents can confidently leave their children with has been shattered. | |
| "You are going to have to live the rest of your life, with the knowledge that Maeve died in your care." | |
| Neck snapped | Neck snapped |
| Henderson, who ran her childminding business from her home in Iver Heath, was hired in January 2005 to look after Maeve by her parents Ruth and Mark who came from Slough in Berkshire. | Henderson, who ran her childminding business from her home in Iver Heath, was hired in January 2005 to look after Maeve by her parents Ruth and Mark who came from Slough in Berkshire. |
| When the baby was taken to hospital, doctors fought to save her but her condition deteriorated and her life support machine was turned off. | When the baby was taken to hospital, doctors fought to save her but her condition deteriorated and her life support machine was turned off. |
| Maeve Sheppard's neck was violently snapped back and forth | Maeve Sheppard's neck was violently snapped back and forth |
| Medical experts, appearing for the prosecution, told the jury the injuries Maeve suffered could only have been caused by violent shaking. | Medical experts, appearing for the prosecution, told the jury the injuries Maeve suffered could only have been caused by violent shaking. |
| Her neck ligaments were "over-extended", indicating that her neck had snapped back and forth. | Her neck ligaments were "over-extended", indicating that her neck had snapped back and forth. |
| Henderson, who had seven years experience as a childminder, claimed Maeve had a seizure while she was changing her nappy. | Henderson, who had seven years experience as a childminder, claimed Maeve had a seizure while she was changing her nappy. |
| Expert witnesses for the defence said the injuries could have been days, weeks or even months old. | Expert witnesses for the defence said the injuries could have been days, weeks or even months old. |
| 'Total shock' | 'Total shock' |
| Henderson claimed the baby had been repeatedly ill, virtually from the first day she was in her care, but Maeve's parents denied this claim. | Henderson claimed the baby had been repeatedly ill, virtually from the first day she was in her care, but Maeve's parents denied this claim. |
| Henderson said that on 2 March, Maeve's body "stiffened and jerked back" as she changed her nappy and the baby's eyes rolled back into her head. | Henderson said that on 2 March, Maeve's body "stiffened and jerked back" as she changed her nappy and the baby's eyes rolled back into her head. |
| Her body went floppy and she was gurgling as if something was stuck in her throat, she told the court. | Her body went floppy and she was gurgling as if something was stuck in her throat, she told the court. |
| Maeve was taken to hospital for treatment but her life-support machine was switched off two days later. | Maeve was taken to hospital for treatment but her life-support machine was switched off two days later. |
| In the days following this, Henderson said she gave up child minding. | In the days following this, Henderson said she gave up child minding. |
| "I wasn't able to look after the children. I was basically curled up in a ball on the settee, shaking and crying, in total shock," she told the jury. | "I wasn't able to look after the children. I was basically curled up in a ball on the settee, shaking and crying, in total shock," she told the jury. |