Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Thursday, 13th June 2024 at 13:00hrs
Karen Foster, a trusted childminder from Hapton, near Burnley Lancashire, has been jailed after pleading guilty to shaking a nine-month-old baby boy to death.
The incident happened back in 2022 when Foster was trusted to care for baby Harlow Collinge whilst his parents went to work for the day, instead she inflicted a catastrophic brain injury to Harlow by shaking him, an injury that would prove fatal.
Foster continued to deny that she inflicted the non-accidental injuries and came up with a web of lies when questioned about how Harlow had become unconscious. She was due to stand trial charged with murder last week before she changed her mind and admitted to the Manslaughter of baby Harlow, a plea that the prosecution would accept.
Appearing at Preston Crown Court today, Thursday 13th May, the court heard how Foster had lied to Ofsed in her application to become a child minder, she said she was fit and well to look after children despite claiming personal independence payments from the government for health issues including difficulties with lifting and carrying things and difficulties with mobility. She also lied in her application by stating that she lived alone despite being married and living with her husband.
The court heard how Ofsted had received complaints from concerned parents about how many children Foster had in her care and that the ratio exceeded that of what was allowed under the registration.
In a victim impact statement, Harlows dad Allen said,
“Karen Foster’s actions have destroyed me and us as a family. Our lives will never be the same again. I will never forget the five days he was in hospital dying in our arms. I hate this woman so much. The pain this evil woman put us through for two years is disgusting. All the lies and accusations, second guessing our son’s death.
She knew the risks of shaking a defenceless baby, and the fact she was a qualified childminder makes it worse. She tried anything and everything to lie her way out of it, which shows what a cruel person she is.
It was extremely traumatic, burying Harlow.
It has even affected my work. I was working a lot of overtime to provide for Harlow.
We were affected by the media coverage – we did not want our other children reading things before we had a chance to tell them ourselves.
Our older children have struggled with their education.
What happened to Harlow has had a devastating and lasting effect. My beautiful son Harlow should not have died. We will continue to fight the systems that let him down.
In a victim impact statement, Harlows mum Gemma said,
“How do I explain what it is like losing my son in the most horrific circumstances, his whole life taken away by a horrible individual who I trusted.
Harlow was enjoying his little life. He had everything he needed. His love of us all was clear to see. He loved to sing with his sisters and laugh. I was enjoying being a new mum again.
He made us all love life being with him. Our little bubble was all taken away in a split second.
The moment I got a call saying Harlow had choked, changed everything. I knew something was not right with this woman. My instincts were right, I took steps to change where he attended, but he never got that chance.
No matter how much my feelings told me this wasn’t right, I never thought this would happen. I questioned myself if I was being over protected but reassured myself she was registered by Ofsted. Other parents took their children there, so it was me.
The things I noticed were little. For example, Harlow’s vest wasn’t fastened, which I thought was lazy.
I can still picture the room in Blackburn where we all sat and the nerve of Karen Foster, who could see the pain on our faces and continued to lie. She even put her arms around me, knowing what she had done.
I can’t think of anything more despicable.
Holding my boy in my arms for hours while he struggled to breathe is something I have to live with. I miss my boy more than life itself. I struggle to cope. I constantly feel like it’s a bad dream or a living nightmare. My head is not able to process reality.
Her actions in the last two years make me sick. I struggle to understand how someone could behave in that manner and not tell the truth. I would still not have my son, but I would have the truth.
When Harlow died, part of me died. I trust no one. Some days, I just cry. I try to forget the pain, but it’s a vicious, never-ending circle. Every day, I am emotional and wonder if I can make it better, but I can’t.
This monster deserves nothing. She has committed the worst crime in the world. She had every opportunity over the last two years, but it is too late.
There is no forgiveness. I hate that I took my baby to her. She knew how much parents trusted her and allowed her the privilege of looking after precious little children.
Harlow was her last baby before she retired. He was the one who put a stop to her. I am glad she is able to hurt no one else and that the world gets to know what an evil woman she is.
I hope every day her actions haunt her. I wish her nothing but misery. I do not want her dead. She is too evil to have that peace, and if there is a place we go, I do not want her near Harlow.
The saddest thing is that this could have been avoided. There are lots of let downs in my son’s story.
Foster is a disgrace to society. No family should have to go through what we did.
Sentencing Judge, Mr Justice Cotter said,
“Harlow was a healthy, happy, and much loved nine-month-old when he was dropped off at your home by his mum on March 1, 2022. She had been using your childminding services for six weeks but not without concerns.
You have been an ofsted registered childminder for 9 years. you should have been a very safe pair of hands, but you were not.
Within two hours, Harlow suffered devastating injuries at your hands. They were precisely the kind of injuries doctors see in cases of non accidental injuries.
His life support was withdrawn on March 5.
Harlow was ‘a little treasure’ the loss of who can never diminish. Nothing that can be said or done can compare to the life sentence imposed on them.
Just after 1pm you called 999 saying Harlow was not breathing, and you thought he was choking. This was not true, He had not choked, You had violently shaken him.
You were given instructions for CPR. You then said he had not choked but had finished his dinner and collapsed. You gave a different account to Harlow’s mother.
At the hospital, you said he had choked, and you slapped him on the back.
When asked how many children you were looking after, you said three – Harlow and two four-year-olds. You knew this was not correct as you were also looking after an 11-month-old. You were in breach of Ofsted rules.
Harlow suffered serious and irreversible brain damage, with a lack of oxygen and extensive swelling.
You were arrested and denied doing anything to cause Harlow’s injury, but medical evidence told a different story. The injuries were consistent with a shaking injury outside the normal handling of a child. There was bleeding along the length of the spine and nerve roots commonly associated with shaking and injury to his eyes, consistent with severe shaking.
The injuries were at the extreme end of what is seen in abusive head trauma.
You maintained that you had not caused any injury until the morning of the trial. There were also fractures to his ribs and sternum and bruising to his ear, though I could not be sure how these were caused.
In July 2022, after he had died, you were interviewed again. You denied you had lost control and said there had been no accident.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, it was only on the morning of trial that you admitted violently shaking Harlow.
You said you were in regular pain in your hip and shook Harlow in frustration.
You told Ofsted in 2018 that there was nothing about your health that prevented you from caring for children. The same year you applied for PIP.
The picture painted was that you were severely disabled, constantly drowsy and tired, and sometimes could barely move. You gave the impression you barely went out. This was all repeated in your 2022 application, days before Harlow’s death.
You described excrutiating pain in your feet, needed help going to the toilet, and needed help to cut up your food. You said you needed others to care for you. This was a world away from you caring for children.
It is not credible that you were as disabled as you claimed in your recent PIP applications.
However, medical records show you had physical injuries that would have made it difficult to look after numerous children at once with the moving and lifting involved. You chose to take on that role, and you chose to break Ofsted rules that are there to ensure the safety and welfare of children.
You said you were under pressure financially. The way to deal with that was not to take on more children. You brought any strain on yourself. In doing so, you put Harlow at risk.
I have no doubt you snapped on March 1, 2022. you were not coping with the demands of caring for four children on March 1, two of them under one.
I have no doubt it was difficult. you say Harlow was grizzly on that morning. Children often are. You held yourself out as an experienced childminder. It was the difficulties you imposed on yourself that were the main cause.
You lost your temper, and he was on the receiving end.
There is a sentencing guideline I am required by law to follow, covering the offence of manslaughter involving a criminal act in which a reasonable person would know there was a risk of physical harm.
In my judgement, you have high culpability. You shook a nine-month-old child so violently as to cause serious injury. His death was caused by an assault. I have no doubt as an experienced childminder. You knew the risk at the time.
I believe your intention in that moment you lost your temper was just short of causing really serious harm. Had your intent been really serious harm, I would be sentencing you for murder.
As for aggravating features, you were in a position of trust. Harlow’s parents trusted you, a registered childminder, with his health and safety while they worked, something so many people have to do each day.
Harlow was vulnerable through his age.
You were keen to reassure parents when they raised legitimate concerns about your childminding.
You well knew you were not as able to care for the children that day as you should have been. Your health was not as good as it could be, and you had too many children in your care. You chose to take on more children than you were allowed, and you did this for financial reasons.
I accept in the past that you have looked after some children very well, including ones with complex needs. For the great majority of your adult life, you have been a hard-working member of society and a mother and grandmother.
it is clear at times that you have not been honest with Ofsted or the benefts agency.
It is difficult to reconcile the suggestion that you are remorseful with your continual denial until the day of trial. Nothing was admitted, and you must have appreciated the impact this uncertainty had on Harlow’s family.
You are entitled to a reduction to reflect your guilty plea, which came after a jury panel was selected but before they were sworn.
I do not consider you dangerous by the legal definition.
You will serve two-thirds of your sentence before you are eligible for release on licence. If you commit any further offences, you may be returned to prison to serve the balance as well as any further sentence. You will receive credit for time spent on remand.
I recognise the hard work and professionalism of the Police, CPS, and legal team. This has been a difficult and complex case.
It is also right I recognise the restraint and dignity displayed by Harlow’s parents and family throughout this trial and today’s hearing, They have suffered so much and had to hear things that will stay with them.
You are guilty of the manslaughter of a healthy nine-month-old boy by shaking so violently as to cause devastating brain injuries, you well knew that this carried a high risk of harm and in the moment you intended to cause him only just short of really serious harm. I have no doubt about your health issues, and your deliberate breach of the rules about the number of children you could look after meant you were under considerable self-imposed strain.
Had Harlow’s parents known this, they would not have left him with you, and he would be alive today. They did not know.
You put financial gain over the safety of those children. You then lied and only admitted what you had done.
Foster was jailed for 12 years, and 7 months.
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