Man Jailed for Life After Shaking Baby to Death and Scrolling Facebook
A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a six-month-old baby, having violently shaken the infant and then spent time browsing Facebook instead of seeking urgent medical help.
Horrific Crime and Delayed Response
Kieran Humphreys, aged 33, was found guilty of murdering little Archie Woodbridge after shaking him so violently that the child sustained critical injuries. The incident occurred while Humphreys was caring for Archie at the home of friends in Dolphin Drive, Houghton Regis.
Following the assault, Humphreys failed to call emergency services for approximately 90 minutes. During this crucial period, he instead phoned his mother and spent time online browsing Facebook, shopping for clothes, and looking at holidays.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
At Luton Crown Court, Humphreys was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years. The court heard that he had met and befriended the child's mother, Saskia Woodbridge, just a week before the incident. Judge Mr Justice Morris noted that Humphreys had "lavished attention on them, leading her to believe that he would care for her child."
Alarmingly, at the time of the offence, Humphreys was on bail for an unrelated allegation with a specific condition prohibiting unsupervised contact with children under 16.
Web of Lies and Further Convictions
When paramedics finally arrived, Humphreys lied, claiming Archie had been with his mother when he became unwell and insisting he had not been present. This false account was later repeated to police.
The lies were supported by his mother, Sharon Humphreys, 58, and the homeowners, Karen Smith, 39, and Sam Wyatt, 33, who all provided false statements. Humphreys was also convicted of child cruelty for the delay in seeking medical help and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
His mother received a nine-month prison sentence, Wyatt was jailed for 15 months, and Smith was sentenced to a year, all for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Heartbreaking Case and Official Statements
Shan Saunders from the Crown Prosecution Service described it as a heartbreaking case, stating: "Despite convincing Archie's mother that he cared for her little boy, Kieran Humphreys violently cut his life short. The jury found him guilty of murder after we presented expert evidence showing that Archie's injuries were not an accident."
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Gardner from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit added: "This was a truly shocking and senseless act of violence against a defenceless baby. Humphreys' actions, and the subsequent lies told by those involved, were utterly callous and compounded the family's grief."
Emergency services were alerted just before 5.30pm, and Archie was taken to hospital but died later that evening. The case has highlighted the profound importance of protecting the most vulnerable in society.
