XMAS DAY MURDER
A SADISTIC mum and dad who beat and burned their baby son to death days after he was placed back in their care have today been jailed for life.
Stephen Boden, 30, and Shannon Marsden, 22, killed 10-month-old Finley Boden in a "savage and brutal" murder on Christmas Day.
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The tot suffered an "appalling" catalogue of injuries including 71 bruises and two burn marks.
Finley also had 57 fractures to his tiny body that had been inflicted in the short period before he collapsed at home in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
Tragically, the youngster had been returned to Boden and Marsden's care just 39 days before he was killed.
The evil couple have now been jailed for life after being convicted of murder.
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Boden, who has 22 previous convictions for 33 offences, was handed a minimum term of 29 years, while Marsden will spend at least 27 years in jail.
In a victim impact statement, Finley's family told how the "happy, chuckling baby" suffered horrific abuse at the hands of his "monster" parents.
They said: "He had all of his life ahead of him.
"When Finley died, part of us died as well. Our lives were ripped apart and will never be the same again."
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The family added the death of Finley had had a "profoundly negative" impact on them, adding "it will always haunt us".
And they wept as Mrs Justice Amanda Tipples read the devastating catalogue of injuries.
The judge slammed the pair as "persuasive and accomplished liars" who inflicted "unimaginable cruelty" on their son without showing any remorse.
She added: "You both knew that Finley was very seriously ill and dying...yet you deliberately failed to seek any medical help for him and you made sure that he was not seen by anyone that could have rescued him and taken him away from your care."
The court had been told the parents had lied - claiming the 10-month-old baby had Covid to stop people from coming into their home and witness the abuse inflicted on the little boy.
During a harrowing trial, jurors were told Finley had been placed into care shortly after he was born.
Marsden and Boden had cleaned their home and claimed to be off drugs in a bid to dupe the authorities into giving their son back.
But after being returned to his parents during lockdown in 2020, he was subjected to "repeated acts of severe violence".
The baby was also forced to live in squalor at the family home and slept on a vomit and faeces-stained cot mattress cover.
Even before he was handed back to Marsden and Boden, the couple had searched for several news articles relating to parent-involved child deaths.
On November 19, 2020 - the day he came home - similar chilling internet searches were also carried out.
Among Finley's horrific injuries were burns caused by a "hot, flat surface" and another possibly from a cigarette lighter.
His pelvis had also been broken in two places - possibly after he was kicked or stamped on - and the inside of his mouth was torn, meaning he was unable to eat.
He later developed pneumonia and sepsis as his drug-user parents worked together to hide his injuries from social services.
Finley also had traces of cannabis in his bloodstream and his injuries were left untreated.
Just days before Finley's death, messages were sent on their shared mobile phone reading: "Little one f***ing kept me up all night.
"I want to bounce him off the walls. Haha."
Another text read: "F***ing been up all night, little one has been ill as f**k."
Although it was not clear who sent the texts, Boden did message his drug dealer saying: "Just kid and missus doing my nut, and need a smoke bad. Haha."
On Christmas Day 2020, paramedics scrambled to the home found Marsden "upset and screaming" as Boden attempted to resuscitate their stricken son.
NO REMORSE
Finley was rushed to hospital but tragically he couldn't be saved and was declared dead shortly after.
But callous Marsden and Boden showed no remorse over their son's death and even spoke about Christmas dinner in the police car and plans to sell Finley's pram.
The following day, they were heard "laughing and joking" at a relative's house.
Despite their bail conditions stating they were barred from making contact, the couple continued having a sexual relationship.
They only split up when they were charged with murder and then sought to blame each other for Finley's death.
Shameless Boden even tried pinning the 130 injuries on "rocking Finley too hard".
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But jurors saw through their lies after being told he and Marsden to this day remain "in it together".
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