A man accused of 'violently' shaking his girlfriend's three-month-old baby before 'snapping' when the infant would not stop crying has been convicted of murder.
asserted
infant → accuse → murder
Hunter Hodges was found with head injuries so severe they were likened to those suffered by victims of a 'high-speed motorcycle collision or a multi-level fall', Canterbury Crown Court heard.
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Court → find → collision
Now Tyla Wharmby – who was not the baby's biological father – has been found guilty of murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
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who → find → intent
During a trial that concluded on Thursday, the court heard Wharmby, 24, of Ramsgate, Kent, had been looking after the infant overnight while Shannon Hodges slept.
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Hodges → conclude → infant
But just after 5.30am on July 15, 2022, paramedics were called after Hunter's mother became concerned for the 12-week-old, who was found pale and unresponsive with a visibly swollen head.
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who → call → head
Having been born prematurely, he weighed just a little over 10lb at the time of the incident.
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he → bear → incident
Shannon is said to have told the 999 handler that her son's head was 'really, really squishy' and that the infant screamed every time she touched his head.
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she → say → head
Despite the seriousness of his condition, Wharmby was found to have visited a pornography website just minutes before Hunter's distraught mother called emergency services.
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mother → find → services
Three-month-old Hunter Hodges was found with head injuries so severe they were likened to those suffered by victims of a 'high-speed motorcycle collision or a multi-level fall'
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they → find → collision
Tyla Wharmby, 24 - who was not the baby's biological father - has been convicted of muder
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who → convict → muder
Hunter was rushed to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother hospital in Margate, before being airlifted to a London hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
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Hunter → rush → injuries
He died following a cardiac arrest later that afternoon.
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He → die → arrest
Doctors confirmed that Hunter had sustained a fractured skull, resulting in a large swelling to his brain.
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Hunter → confirm → brain
Police body cam footage played to the court showed Wharmby attempting to explain what had happened to an officer.
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what → play → officer
He said: 'I woke up.
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I → say → ?
He had his last feed at 1am.
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He → have → am
He usually goes two, three hours between feeds.
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He → go → feeds
I woke up at 4am.
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I → wake → am
He had a little lump on the side of his head.
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He → have → head
'Gave him calpol, tried giving him his bottle, he didn't want it so I laid him back down, on the side of the bed, so he couldn't roll out of the bed because it's up against the wall.
'
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it → give → wall
I woke up at 4.30am to him screaming.
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him → wake → 4.30am
I moved him and the back of his head was all swollen, his skin changed.
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skin → move → head
I took him into his mum.
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I → take → mum
We called an ambulance and now we're here.
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we → call → ambulance
That's literally it.'
But Wharmby was found to have lied about the sequence of events and was arrested later that day.
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Wharmby → find → events
Kent Police described the investigation that followed as 'extensive' and involving specialist detectives, with highly complex medical and forensic evidence examined.
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that → describe → evidence
Digital forensic material also established Wharmby had misled police about what had happened in the moments leading up to Hunter's death, and that he had deliberately inflicted a fatal injury on the baby shortly before the 999 call was made.
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call → establish → baby
Medical experts concluded that Wharmby had previously caused injury to Hunter, which was consistent with the baby having been violently shaken.
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baby → conclude → Hunter
He was later charged with murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent in February of this year.
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He → charge → year
During the trial at Canterbury Crown Court, Wharmby admitted he had anger issues and could sometimes 'lose control'
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he → admit → control
He denied the charges against him but was found to have committed both crimes in a majority jury verdict delivered on Thursday.
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He → deny → Thursday
During the trial, the defendant admitted that he had anger issues and could sometimes 'lose control'.
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he → admit → control
The court also heard that Hunter had been taken to Margate hospital multiple times in the weeks before his death after repeatedly vomiting, having mottled skin, appearing floppy and crying more frequently.
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Hunter → hear → skin
Doctors said these were all symptoms of Shaken Baby Syndrome, while the post-mortem found Hunter had suffered an older brain bleed up to five weeks before his death.
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Hunter → say → death
The jury also heard the infant had been under the care of social services after Hunter's biological father raised concerns – but he was not under a child protection plan, Kent Online reported.
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Online → hear → plan
Following the trial, senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Adam Marshall said: 'This was a deeply distressing case involving the death of a very young baby, and our determination to establish what had happened to Hunter, and secure justice on his behalf, was unwavering.
'
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what → follow → behalf
The investigation team worked meticulously to scrutinise the evidence and build a case which ultimately exposed the truth behind Wharmby's lies, and ensure he was brought before the courts to answer for his appalling actions.
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he → work → actions
No outcome could lessen the devastating loss suffered by Hunter's family, but I hope this verdict provides some measure of accountability.
uncertain
verdict → lessen → accountability
Throughout this lengthy and incredibly difficult process, Hunter's loved ones have shown remarkable courage and strength.
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ones → love → courage
Despite their immense grief, they provided vital evidence and remained steadfast in their support of the investigation.
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they → provide → investigation
…and 2 more, not listed.
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