A review of safeguarding practices in the period before a baby’s death has found they were “inadequate”.
Finley Boden was burned and beaten during weeks of abuse from his parents Shannon Marsden and Stephen Boden after he had been handed back into their care by social services despite knowing they “posed a risk of significant harm to him”.
The review acknowledges Finley, who was just ten-months-old “should have been one of the most protected children” in the local authority in Derbyshire.
The independent review into Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership found “that the safeguarding environment in which that decision was made had been incrementally weakened by the decisions, actions, circumstances and events which preceded it.”
Marsden and Boden were sentenced to 27 and 29 years in prison at Derby Crown Court on May 26, 2023 for murdering their son after the long-running abuse from their home in Old Whittington near Chesterfield.
Finley died in hospital with approximately 130 broken bones and fractures, plus pneumonia and sepsis.
The long-running abuse took place at their home in Old Whittington near Chesterfield
The boy was handed back into his parents care by Derbyshire County Council social services in November 2020
The purpose of a Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review is learning in order to prevent similar deaths or incidents.
The boy was handed back into his parents care by Derbyshire County Council social services in November 2020 during Covid after a ruling by Family Courts. He had originally been removed from his parents care at birth.
It was revealed during their trial that the parents had lied to services in order to have Finley returned to their care.
The review added that despite details of the abuse described in the trial being “unknown” to services, the review has found “safeguarding practice during that time was inadequate.”
Shannon Marsden was sentenced to 27 9 years in prison at Derby Crown Court last May
Stephen Boden was given a 29 year prison sentence
Authorities knew however drug misuse presented a problem for the family with the review highlighting cannabis as a particular “cause for concern” and that the assessment by substance misuse services was “not robust”.
It was also understood that Boden had a history of domestic abuse toward a previous partner.
Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership is made up of local authorities, the police, and NHS services.
Derbyshire County Council has apologised for mistakes made in handling Finley's case.
Carol Cammiss, Executive Director for Children’s Services at Derbyshire County Council, said: “Finley’s death was a tragedy for everyone who knew him and everyone involved in his care. We are deeply saddened by his death and our thoughts are with everyone who loved him.”
“Despite the significant Covid restrictions placed on our work at the time we know there were missed opportunities for stronger practice and we apologise for that."
She added: “Safeguarding children in Derbyshire is our highest priority and the council accepts the findings and recommendations of the review and takes full responsibility for its actions in this case.”
Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Independent Chair and Scrutineer ,Steve Atkinson said: “I offer my sincere condolences to Finley’s family and apologise on behalf of the Partnership for what happened.
“The Partnership agencies took early steps to improve systems and practices, responding quickly to an immediate review of Finley’s death and the circumstances in which it took place."
He said: “In accepting in full the recommendations of this review - commissioned by the Partnership, completely independently of Derbyshire and the organisations involved - agencies will take the additional action necessary to further reduce the risk of a repeat of a similar incident.”
