Chilling pictures have revealed how Finley Boden was forced to live in squalor by his drug addicted killer parents.
The 10-month-old was murdered by Stephen Boden, 30, and Shannon Marsden, 22 during a harrowing ordeal where he sustained 130 ‘appalling’ injuries, including 71 bruises, 57 fractures and ‘crushed and twisted’ bones’.
The images show the chaos and disgusting state of the family home in Old Whittington in Derbyshire, including mould growing on baby bottles, old cigarette butts left lying next to the bed, and discarded takeaway meals and dirty dishes in the kitchen.
Social workers had raised concerns before Finley was even born due to concerns over the state of the family home and his parents’ drug use.
The 10-month-old was murder by Stephen Boden, 30, and Shannon Marsden, 22 during a harrowing ordeal where he sustained 130 ‘appalling’ injuries, including 71 bruises, 57 fractures and ‘crushed and twisted’ bones’
The images show the chaos and disgusting state of the family home on Holland Road, Old Whittington in Derbyshire
Social workers had raised concerns before Finley was even born due to concerns over the state of the family home and his parents’ drug use
In the kitchen there are piles an piles of dirty plates and old takeaway boxes, with rubbish just thrown onto the floor
He was removed from their care immediately after he was born, in February 2020. But he was returned in November that year. Social workers saw the vulnerable child for the last time on November 27 despite numerous further visits.
One social worker confirmed to the court in November 2022 that the last time she had seen baby Finley alive was on November 27, when he was asleep on the sofa while the couple listened to music upstairs.
The defendants had not opened the door and the social worker was forced to observe the child through the window.
The photos of the house depict a grim picture. The bedside table in the bedroom is littered with old cigarette butts, ash and empty energy drinks. It also shows a bottle of Calpol with the children’s syringe just sitting in the top.
In one shot you can see two more bottles of Calpol sitting on top of a dirty bed side table, one which is missing the lid. Next to a bottle of plant grower solution.
In the kitchen there are piles an piles of dirty plates and old takeaway boxes, with rubbish just thrown onto the floor.
Throughout the campaign on abuse on the baby boy he suffered a broken shoulder, broken arm, broken shinbone, a thigh bone broken in four places, and a pelvis broken in two places.
He had also developed pneumonia, endocarditis – inflammation of the lining of the heart – and sepsis.
The bathroom has had junk thrown into the bath, dog food shoved behind the toilet, an used mop and wire carelessly left on the floor
In October 2020 a family court ruled that Marsden and Boden did not pose an ‘unmanageable risk’ to their son, allowing them to subject him to ‘the most horrific abuse’ at their home in Old Whittington, Derbyshire
Throughout the campaign on abuse on the baby boy he suffered a broken shoulder, broken arm, broken shinbone, a thigh bone broken in four places, and a pelvis broken in two places
The bedside table in the bedroom is littered with old cigarette butts, ash and empty energy drinks. It also shows a bottle of calpol with the children’s syringe just sitting in the top
A report into the failing of Finley’s death found that of the six visits planned by social workers, only four were attempted and one of these was cancelled as workers were unable to contact Finley’s parents.
Another image of the bedroom shows there is mould growing on the curtains, bowls of half eaten food on the floor as well as a baby bottle that contains soured milk.
The bathroom has had junk thrown into the bath, dog food shoved behind the toilet, an used mop and wire carelessly left on the floor.
Despite a catalogue of warning signs being found, including a four-centimetre bump being found on his forehead just two days after being given back to them, and the refusal by his father to let social workers see him in one unannounced visit.
One photo highlights the violent nature of his parents, as the door can be seen to have chunks missing from it where it appears someone has punched or kicked the door.
His parents, Shannon Marsden (left) and Stephen Boden (right), were jailed for a minimum of 27 and 29 years respectively for murdering the 10-month-old
Stephen Boden holding Finley, six weeks before the child’s death on Christmas Day 2020
Despite a catalogue of warning signs being found, including a four-centimetre bump being found on his forehead just two days after being given back to them, and the refusal by his father to let social workers see him in one unannounced visit
In October 2020 a family court ruled that Marsden and Boden did not pose an ‘unmanageable risk’ to their son, allowing them to subject him to ‘the most horrific abuse’ at their home in Old Whittington, Derbyshire.
He had been removed from their care immediately after he was born in February 2020 after social workers raised concerns about the state of the family home and his parents’ drug use.
By the time of his death he was ‘plainly dying’ and could no longer sit up and play with his toys, feed himself or breathe properly, having been back in his parents’ care for just 39 days.
A campaigner for children in care has warned that ‘lessons must be learned’ after ‘yet another child was lost to Britain’s broken care system’.
Chris Wild told that the murder of ten-month-old Finley Boden must serve as an urgent wake-up call for ministers to support the ‘underfunded’ care sector.
Shannon Marsden pictured with her son Finley Boden before the innocent baby’s death
Responding to the report, Mr Wild, who lost his father at the age of 11 and grew up in the care system, told : ‘Yet again another child lost to our broken system. ‘Lessons must be learned’ yet no one seems to be putting these words into action.
‘Unfortunately we can point the finger in the Finley Boden case and it points directly to an underfunded sector that fails to prioritise the safety of children even when all the evidence clearly shows this could have been prevented.’
A Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review into Finley’s death, published by the safeguarding children partnership on Wednesday, said while Finley’s parents were responsible for his death, ‘professional interventions should have protected him’.
The review acknowledged that Covid 19 regulations and their consequences had ‘exacerbated’ the couple’s inaccessibility to professionals, but added that the local authority had accepted ‘more could have been done to ‘work’ the case and to formulate the final care plan’ in spite of the ‘unique’ pressures of the pandemic.